The organizations of pediatricians are asking parents not to take their children suspected of having contracted coronavirus infection to surgeries or pediatric duty wards. They should instead call their pediatric practitioners or one of the toll-free numbers.
The Association of Pediatric Practitioners and the Safe Hands Scientific Society of Pediatric Practitioners summarized the most important information for families in five points.
They write that if parents – with or without their children – have been to a place affected by coronavirus infection but have no symptoms, they should return home and should consult with their general practitioner and employer before returning to work.
If parents – with or without their children – have come into direct contact with a confirmed coronavirus patient but have no symptoms, they should immediately inform their pediatric practitioner, follow his or her instructions and stay at home.
If parents – with or without their children – have been to a place affected by coronavirus infection or have come into direct contact with a confirmed coronavirus patient and have flu-like symptoms, in particular, fever, cough, heavy breathing, they should immediately inform their pediatric practitioner, follow his or her instructions and stay at home.
Families can inform themselves about the areas currently affected by coronavirus infection on the websites www.nnk.gov.hu and https://www.edc/europe.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea.
They finally highlighted that if parents are uncertain as to whether their children have been infected with the coronavirus, they should not under any circumstances take them to the surgery of the local pediatric practitioner or to the pediatric duty ward. They should call their pediatric practitioner or one of the following toll-free numbers: 06-80/277-455, 06-80/277-456.
In the interest of prevention, they asked parents to frequently wash their children’s and their own hands with soap, in the absence of soap to use some alcohol-based disinfectant, to keep a minimum distance of one meter from coughing or sneezing people as well as from people showing symptoms of fever, to teach their children to cough and sneeze with their heads turned towards their shoulders or elbows, to only wear face masks if they have flu-like or cold symptoms, or if they have urgent business in a crowded place, and to dispose of used face masks and tissues in sealed bins.
A call center set up for advice on the coronavirus can be reached on +36-80-277-455 and +36-80-277-456 or by email koronavirus@bm.gov.hu