Virtual care services are open 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm weekends.
Aug 23, 2022
5 minute read
by MD Connected
School is back in session for many. From kindergarten to post-secondary, our students are ready to learn. Unfortunately, school facilities are susceptible to the spread of COVID-19 due to large groups of students and faculty sharing classrooms, hallways and bathrooms.
To keep schools open and students learning, it is important to stay current with healthcare updates and encourage proper precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 SYMPTOM MONITORING
How to tell if it’s COVID?
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, do your part by monitoring yourself and your family for symptoms. Due to similar symptoms, it is nearly impossible to know if your child brought home COVID-19 from school, or this year’s flu. The only way to know for sure is to do a COVID-19 test. To keep yourself and others safe, assume it is COVID-19 until proven otherwise.
About Omicron
Along with monitoring your own symptoms, make sure to stay up to date on common symptoms that others have experienced after catching specific COVID-19 strains. The newest strain that has been spreading throughout Canada is called Omicron. It has been reported that a sore throat is one of the most common symptoms of people who fall ill with Omicron, with runny noses, headaches, fatigue and sneezing being just as common.
If you or your family member are experiencing severe symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, call your doctor immediately to inform them of the severity and get information on what to do next. If you or your family have non-life-threatening symptoms, do your best to keep everyone who encountered you at home. Isolate for at least 10 days to prevent exposure to others at school or work. If you have any questions or concerns during your quarantine and want a doctor’s opinion, feel free to book a virtual appointment with MD Connected.
COVID-19 VACCINES AND CHILDREN
Near the end of 2021, Health Canada approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 5 years old. This is a great relief for many parents sending their kids back to school, however, proper precautions still need to be taught to students. Even with the vaccine, there is still a risk of spread because the vaccine doesn’t stop a person from contracting or spreading COVID-19.
The benefit of being vaccinated is that if you do fall ill with COVID-19 the symptoms are much more likely to be mild and not life-threatening. Those who are unvaccinated have a higher chance to be hospitalized with more serious symptoms. With some kindergarten children being too young to be vaccinated, it is important to continue to encourage good habits like regular hand washing, social distancing, and wearing masks.
For more details on vaccines and how they work, check out this article: COVID-19 Vaccines Explained.
COVID ASSOCIATED MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME (MIS-C)
How to tell if it’s COVID?
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) (also called Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS)) is a condition that was first identified by doctors in children’s hospitals in the U.S. and the U.K. in April of 2020.
It causes inflammation of various organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, gastrointestinal organs, and even the skin or eyes. While it is a rare condition, it was found that many children that had this syndrome previously had COVID-19 and were carrying antibodies of the virus as a result.
There are still unknown details surrounding this condition, here is what doctors do currently know:
It is commonly seen in children ages 6-9 but can affect infants and young adults.
It is most likely to appear 2 to 6 weeks after COVID-19 infection.
It is treatable. With prompt attention, most children recover fully from this condition.
If you know or suspect that your child has had COVID-19, symptoms to continue to look for over the next few weeks that could point to MIS-C/PIMS are:
Ongoing fever
Feeling weak or dizzy
Abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting
Red eyes, rash or blotchy/bumpy skin
Call your family doctor or speak with an MD Connected doctor if you suspect that your child has Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome.
MD CONNECTED: SEE A DOCTOR ONLINE
MD Connected Ltd. can help you save time and energy when you book an online doctor’s appointment. After the appointment, if necessary, a virtual prescription by one of our Canadian doctors will be sent directly to your pharmacy.
MD Connected Ltd. is led by a diverse team of doctors with varying backgrounds and provides its services in multiple languages. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have used MD Connected for general consultations, prescription renewals, sexual health, mental wellness, travel health, sick notes and forms, and more.
To learn more about MD Connected Ltd. and telehealth in Canada, contact us by visiting www.mdconnected.ca or e-mail us at mydoc@mdconnected.ca.
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