COVID-19 Services

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in China. It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world. People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, from mild to severe.

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

Keep your child at home except to get medical care. As much as possible, separate him or her by 6 feet from other people. Children 2 years of age and older with symptoms of COVID-19 should wear a mask unless he or she is having trouble breathing. Frequent handwashing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and not sharing cups, dishes, utensils, towels, or bedding with others are some ways to help curb the spread of the illness at home.

If your child is experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, inability to stay awake, or blue-colored or gray lips, nailbeds, or skin, call 911 immediately. Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who may have COVID-19.

Call our office as soon as possible after symptoms start to schedule a telehealth visit with one of our providers. Our office will provide COVID-19 testing for your child if necessary.

Call our office to discuss the exposure and to receive advice on what should be done post-exposure.

The test for COVID-19 is performed via a sample taken from a gentle swab of your lower nasal cavity. After the sample is taken, it will be tested by either the molecular rapid and/or the PCR method.

For the rapid molecular method, the swab sample is prepared and analyzed in our office using a special machine which will detect the presence of COVID-19. The results will be available to you via a phone call or text message.

For the PCR method, we collect the swab sample in our office and send it via courier to a special laboratory to be tested. Results are usually available in 3-5 business days. When we receive the results, we will contact you via phone or text message.

Our office will call you when we receive a positive COVID-19 result. A telehealth visit will be scheduled with one of our providers, who will discuss with you the best treatment methods for your child.

COVID-19 can make children of any age very sick and can sometimes require treatment in a hospital. The benefit of COVID-19 vaccine is that it provides protection against potentially severe symptoms of getting sick with COVID-19. Our providers, along with the Center for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months of age and older, and boosters for everyone 5 years of age and older. Our office is providing COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment to children aged 6 months through 11 years.

Children get a smaller dose of COVID-19 vaccine than teens and adults, which is the correct amount for their age group. For children 6 months-4 years old, the primary series is completed in 2 or 3 doses. For children 5-11 years old, the primary series is completed in 2 doses.

Currently we do not offer COVID-19 vaccinations to children and teens over the age of 11 years. However, there are many locations for your older children to get vaccinated. Some ways to find locations near you are by searching vaccines.gov, or by texting your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX), or by calling 1-800-232-0233.