Outpatient Specialty Care and Primary Care Clinical Pathway for Screening Children with Suspected 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease

Goals and Metrics
Provider Resources
Related Pathways
Evaluation and COVID-19 Testing Guidance for Children with Respiratory Symptoms
Definition of Symptoms and COVID Suspected Children
Symptom Screening at Arrival
  • Encourage all children and families to mask in waiting room
  • Symptomatic children, family members remain masked throughout care except for PE as needed
Symptom-based Precautions
Asymptomatic Standard
Symptomatic Contact/Droplet, regardless of COVID test result
Symptomatic + AGP
  • Expanded, until COVID test result available
    • Use negative pressure room as available
    • or
    • Room with door closed
    • Contact/Droplet if COVID test negative
Expected Discharge Expected Acute Hospital Admission
or Procedure (Peri-operative Guidance)
Consider Standard SARS-CoV-2 Test for the following:
  1. Symptoms Present
    • As clinically indicated
    • Child/family request
  2. No symptoms + exposed, consider test if > 5 days
    from exposure

Use Influenza Pathway to guide additional testing during influenza season

 Send Rapid Diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 Test for the following:
  • Symptoms Present, regardless of AGP
Note:
  • No admission test required for asymptomatic + AGP regardless of exposure history or scheduled procedure
  • For children transferred to residential or other conjugate living settings, consider testing or follow guidance from individual facility
  • Use Influenza Pathway to guide additional testing during influenza season
  • Guidance on Re-testing/Reinfection
Stable for Outpatient Treatment
Transfer for Continued Evaluation
Posted: January 2020
Revised: March 2024
Editors: Clinical Pathways Team