The Latest on COVID-19
4 Quick Facts From Doc Smitty
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every facet of our lives.
Schools are closed. Many businesses are closed. Parents are working from home.
COVID-19 is the name for the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 and consists of a respiratory disease which can be spread from person to person. Disease spectrum can vary from no symptoms, to mild upper respiratory disease to severe lower respiratory disease with respiratory failure. It appears that most severe illness occurs in adults over 65 years of age and in people of any age with severe underlying conditions.
So, what’s the latest?
April 21:
- COVID-19 infections have reached nearly 2.5 million worldwide with 800,000 of those cases in the United States.
- Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed what many suspected would happen, announcing school closures through the end of this school year.
- While much of the focus has been its effects on adults, COVID-19 can infect and cause disease in children according to a study in Pediatrics. Many children with COVID-19 have little or no symptoms but fever, cough and lower respiratory disease are possible.
- As models begin to predict that peak infection rates are near or just past, health officials stress that now is not the time to relax. They stress that when it comes time to relax social distancing guidelines, it should be done in a strategic manner to prevent a second wave of illness.
Get to know Justin Smith, M.D.
Justin Smith, M.D., is a pediatrician in Trophy Club and the Medical Advisor for Digital Health for Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Smith is an experienced keynote speaker for a variety of topics including pediatric/parenting topics, healthcare social media and physician leadership. If you are interested in having Dr. Smith present to your conference or meeting, please contact him at thedocsmitty@cookchildrens.org.
He has an active community on both Facebook and Twitter as @TheDocSmitty and writes weekly for Cook Children's checkupnewsroom.com. He believes that strategic use of social media and technology by pediatricians to connect with families can deepen their relationship and provide a new level of convenience for both of their busy lifestyles. Dr. Smith’s innovative pediatric clinic, a pediatric clinic “designed by you,” open now. Click here to make an appointment, call 817-347-8100.
