Pininos Pediatric CDC Guidelines 2021
Pinino’s Pediatrics Leading the way in Pediatric Safety in El Paso
At Pininos Pediatric Services of El Paso, Texas we offer a comprehensive approach to pediatric care. Our mission is to create a healthier future for women and children throughout our global community by leading in patient care, education and training. We want to be your preferred pediatrician in El Paso. To do this we will earn your respect by putting you and your child first.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) Quarantine Guidelines during the Covid-19 Pandemic for Pediatric Care
While local public health authorities determine and establish the quarantine options for their jurisdictions, the CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days for asymptomatic persons exposed to Sars Cov-2 or Covid-19 as it’s commonly referred to. However, based on local circumstances and resources, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives.
- Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
- Quarantine can end after Day 7 if the patient tests negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. A PCR test should be performed within 48 hours of day 7 (i.e. no earlier than Day 5). Any test taken before Day 5 of quarantine would not be acceptable for modified quarantine guidelines.
- Day 0 is the day of initial COVID exposure.
In both cases, additional criteria (e.g., continued symptom monitoring, masking and social distancing through Day 14) must be met.
In El Paso County they have the highest level of Covid-19 vaccinations leading the state of Texas. Their vaccination rate continues to lead the State among Seniors and people with underlying conditions. This group includes our children and those with special needs.
Beginning in March 2021, the County of El Paso, Texas and the City of El Paso, TX will merge their systems so you will be able to Register your family in ONE integrated system. This is one of the first Regional approaches to curbing the spread of the coronavirus diseases. The Registration is simple with basic information name, age, and medical conditions for your loved ones. Once you are registered, you will receive an email confirmation along with a text option if you prefer.
For seniors and those in more rural areas of El Paso County, they will be utilizing a Mobile Medical Van to help vaccinate the most vulnerable in our community. These populations will include infants, children and those with underlying conditions.
According to the CDC quarantine guidelines children should follow the same guidelines as adults. Children are qualified as any child from birth to age 18. Asymptomatic persons can discontinue quarantine at these earlier time points ONLY IF the following criteria are also met:
- No clinical evidence of COVID-19 has been elicited by daily symptom monitoring† during the entirety of quarantine up to the time at which quarantine is discontinued; AND,
- Daily symptom monitoring continues through quarantine Day 14; AND,
- Persons adhere strictly to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions: correct and consistent mask use, social distancing, hand and cough hygiene, environmental cleaning and disinfection, avoiding crowds, ensuring adequate indoor ventilation, and self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 illness through quarantine day 14.
- If ANY symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the local public health authority or their healthcare provider to report this change in clinical status
Persons can continue to be quarantined for 14 days without testing per existing recommendations. This option maximally reduces risk of post-quarantine transmission risk and is the strategy with the greatest collective experience at present.
If you have additional questions please contact your pediatrician at Pinino’s Pediatrics!
How COVID-19 Spreads
COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person to person, including between people who are physically near each other (within about 6 feet). People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others. This situation is aggravated in El Paso County by the number of families who live in multigenerational households. Cases of reinfection with COVID-19 have been reported but are rare. We are still learning about how the virus spreads and the severity of illness it causes.
COVID-19 spreads very easily from person to person
How easily a virus spreads from person to person can vary. The virus that causes COVID-19 appears to spread more efficiently than influenza but not as efficiently as measles, which is among the most contagious viruses known to affect people.
COVID-19 most commonly spreads during close contact
- People who are physically near (within 6 feet) a person with COVID-19 or have direct contact with that person are at greatest risk of infection.
- When people with COVID-19 cough, sneeze, sing, talk, or breathe they produce respiratory droplets.
- Infections occur mainly through exposure to respiratory droplets when a person is in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
- Respiratory droplets cause infection when they are inhaled or deposited on mucous membranes, such as those that line the inside of the nose and mouth.
- As the respiratory droplets travel further from the person with COVID-19, the concentration of these droplets decreases. Larger droplets fall out of the air due to gravity. Smaller droplets and particles spread apart in the air.
- With passing time, the amount of infectious virus in respiratory droplets also decreases.
COVID-19 Cases can sometimes be spread by airborne transmission
- Some infections can be spread by exposure to viruses in small droplets and particles that can linger in the air for minutes to hours.
- These viruses may be able to infect people who are further than 6 feet away from the person who is infected or after that person has left the space.
- This kind of spread is referred to as airborne transmission and is an important way that infections like tuberculosis, measles, and chickenpox are spread.
- There is evidence that under certain conditions, people with COVID-19 seem to have infected others who were more than 6 feet away.
- Under these circumstances, scientists believe that the amount of infectious smaller droplets and particles produced by the people with COVID-19 became concentrated enough to spread the virus to other people.
- People at higher risk are encouraged to limit their contact with others in places where large groups of people congregate.
- Available data indicate that it is much more common for the virus that causes COVID-19 to spread through close contact with a person who has COVID-19 than through airborne transmission.
COVID-19 spreads less commonly through contact with contaminated surfaces
- Respiratory droplets can also land on surfaces and objects. It is possible that a person could get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Spread from touching surfaces is not thought to be a common way that COVID-19 spreads
COVID-19 rarely spreads between people and animals
- It appears that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals in some situations. CDC is aware of a small number of pets worldwide, including cats and dogs, reported to be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, mostly after close contact with people with COVID-19.
- At this time, the risk of COVID-19 spreading from animals to people is considered to be low.
Protect yourself and others
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. By having proper medical care and receiving a Covid-19 test and avoid touching surfaces. If you do have respiratory illnesses, please let your Pediatrician know.
You can take these steps to slow the spread:
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others, whenever possible. This is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others. This helps reduce the risk of spread both by close contact and by airborne transmission.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid crowded indoor spaces and ensure indoor spaces are properly ventilated by bringing in outdoor air as much as possible. In general, being outdoors and in spaces with good ventilation reduces the risk of exposure to infectious respiratory droplets.
- Stay home and isolate from others when sick.
- Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and take other steps to stop the spread at home.
Pandemics can be stressful, especially when you are staying away from others. During this time, it’s important to maintain social connections and care for your mental health.
State of the Art Facility
At Pininos Pediatric, we want to ensure that you and your family are in the most comfortable and professional environment possible. Our facility offers state of the art equipment and classic modern decor. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have added deep cleaning to the facility to ensure a safe and sterile environment for our patients.
The rooms are equipped with the most up to date equipment in the industry. Each room at Pininos Pediatric is equipped with Oxygen, Heliox, Air, Vacuum and Specialized Monitoring equipment. We want to make sure that our families feel welcomed and ensure them that they are in a place that is professional and dedicated to their wellness.
Board Certified Physician and Staff
All the Staff are fully trained and Board-Certified. The mission at Pinino’s Pediatrics is to provide quality health care to children and an understanding of health issues related to children and their parents. To make an appointment call 915-996-9700