We are monitoring the public health situation very closely. We know that you have questions about your children and your families and we are available to you at any time. Recommendations are changing daily and we are keeping up with them as they are evolving. We are in close touch with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and state and local health authorities to ensure we continue to follow all current guidelines.
Our office number (781-245-2203) will always connect you to either the provider on call or the staff that is in the office. We are here to answer any general questions you may have as well as provide you with the excellent and compassionate medical care you are accustomed to with Wakefield Pediatrics.
As we always have, we put the safety and health of our patients and their families first. During this national uncertainty, we remain open and available to you both in person and increasingly via telemedicine. In this time of heightened concern, we have enacted initiatives to continue to meet your health needs in a safe environment.
Telehealth visits:
We have enabled telehealth visits with all our providers. This means that we can conduct both sick and well care over video and audio chat from the comfort and safety of your home. These visits are secure and take place over MyChart. When you call the office, we will decide whether a telehealth visit is appropriate and help you get set up to participate.
FAQ’s
Q: I have symptoms of COVID-19, what do I do?
A: If you or your child has symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, body aches, chills, new headache, or shortness of breath, you should call our office to discuss possible testing for COVID-19 or other viral infections. CALL 911 IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD IS EXPERIENCING SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR OTHER LIFE THREATENING SYMPTOMS.
Q: How is COVID-19 spread?
A:
- If you are within six feet of someone with COVID-19 infection, the infection could spread to you through droplets when the person sneezes or coughs
- If you touch an object—such as a door handle—that has the COVID-19 virus on it, and then you touch your mouth, nose or eyes, you can infect yourself
- If you are helping care for someone with COVID-19 and you within six feet of them when they cough or sneeze
Q: Is there a treatment for COVID-19?
A: There also is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 commonly treat their symptoms at home with rest, fluids and other common cold or flu treatments, although some may require medical care to treat more severe symptoms.
Q: Is there a test for COVID-19?
A: There are two testing methods for COVID-19. A rapid test, or antigen test, looks for antigens present in your body that form as a response to infection by COVID-19. This test can be anywhere from 80%-90% accurate for symptomatic individuals meaning 1 out of every 10 people tested with this method show a false negative when they are actually infected. The best test is called a PCR test. This test looks for pieces of proteins from the virus and is more accurate for testing people both symptomatic and asymptomatic.
Q: Which test do you provide in the office?
A: If you or your child is determined to need a COVID-19 test, at this time we do a PCR test that we send out to an outside lab for testing.
Q: What should I do if I’ve been exposed?
A: Each individual case is different, so please call the office to speak with a provider.