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COVID-19 Update for Virginia<\/strong><\/p>\n May 15, 2020<\/p>\n Dear Colleague:<\/p>\n COVID-19 continues to evolve. Please visit the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) website<\/a> for clinical guidance and epidemiologic data.\u00a0 I want to highlight the following updates:<\/p>\n Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19 <\/strong><\/p>\n On May 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a Health Alert Network (HAN) Advisory<\/a> about multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19.\u00a0 The first reports of this syndrome came from the United Kingdom in late April. U.\u00a0S. cases were first reported in New York City in early May.\u00a0 Prominent clinical features include persistent fever and a variety of symptoms, including hypotension, multiorgan (e.g., cardiac, gastrointestinal, renal, hematologic, dermatologic and neurologic) involvement and elevated markers of inflammation.\u00a0 Respiratory symptoms were not present in all patients.\u00a0 Some patients had clinical features consistent with Kawasaki disease.\u00a0 In New York, many of these patients have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR or serology.\u00a0 It is unknown whether this syndrome is limited to children.<\/p>\n To investigate this syndrome, public health officials developed a standardized case definition for suspected cases (below).\u00a0 VDH urges all healthcare providers in Virginia to immediately report <\/strong>any patient who meets these criteria to the local health department<\/a> by the most rapid means.<\/p>\n Case Definition for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)<\/u><\/p>\n i<\/sup>Fever >38.0\u00b0C for \u226524 hours, or report of subjective fever lasting \u226524 hours COVID-19 Testing<\/strong><\/p>\n Testing continues to increase in the Commonwealth; and as providers, you play an important role. VDH has created videos<\/a> showing how to obtain a healthcare worker-observed nasal swab test for COVID-19 testing wearing appropriate PPE.\u00a0 Amazon provides a portal for healthcare professionals<\/a> to purchase PPE in varied amounts and types at reasonable prices.\u00a0 We have added a portal on the VDH website so that the public can identify COVID-19 testing sites by zip code.<\/a><\/p>\n Childhood Vaccinations for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases<\/strong><\/p>\n Vaccination provider site closures, cancellations of well-child visits, and decreases in vaccine orders in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program indicate that children may be falling behind on vaccinations, thereby increasing susceptibility to vaccine-preventable disease.\u00a0 VDH is tracking the volume of vaccines sent to the Virginia Immunization Information System (VIIS).\u00a0 Since March 15, vaccines reported to VIIS have decreased 45.7% since the same time last year (March 15 – April 23).\u00a0 Providers are encouraged to incorporate the option of patient recall strategies to get their patients back on track and to incorporate the ACIP Recommended Catch-Up Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents<\/a>.\u00a0 During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers across the state are working to ensure that children still can receive the well visits and vaccinations they need. Some ways they are doing this include:<\/p>\n I cannot thank you enough for all that you are doing every day to protect Virginians.\u00a0 Please consider joining or promoting the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps:\u00a0 www.vamrc.org\/vvhs<\/a> or vamrc@vdh.virginia.gov<\/a>.\u00a0 For all other questions, contact your local health department<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA COVID-19 Update for Virginia May 15, 2020 Dear Colleague: COVID-19 continues to evolve. Please visit the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) website for clinical guidance and epidemiologic data.\u00a0 I want to highlight the following updates: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19 On May 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-673","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\nii<\/sup>Including, but not limited to, one or more of the following:\u00a0 an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fibrinogen, procalcitonin, d-dimer, ferritin, lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), or interleukin 6 (IL-6), elevated neutrophils, reduced lymphocytes and low albumin<\/p>\n\n
\nState Health Commissioner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"