Does a Crying Child Enhance the Risk for COVID-19 Transmission?

摘要

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has ledall of us to recalibrate both our personal and professionallife [1]. In our routine pediatric outpatient practice fornon-COVID cases i.e. well baby visits and kidspresenting with afebrile, non-respiratory symptoms, asurgical face mask with proper hand hygiene and gloveshas been recommended for health care professionals [2].However, for those handling aerosol-generatingprocedures (AGP), respirators and additional personalprotection equipment (PPE) are recommended [3].Aerosol is defined as suspension of fine solid particles orliquid droplets in air or another gas. Aerosols of varyingseverity are generated on sneezing, coughing, talking andalso during normal breathing [4]. AGPs are believed toproduce aerosols and droplets as source of respiratorypathogens that exposes the health care workers topathogens causing acute respiratory infections includingSevere acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) [5]. AGPs are generated on performingcertain medical procedures like intubation, manualventilation, non-invasive ventilation, tracheostomyinsertion etc. on infected cases. However, it is not clear ifthe risk is due to direct airborne transmission orsecondary exposure to respiratory droplets.