Holiday Visiting : Keeping Those Grandbabies Safe WRITTEN BY JENNIFER LEFNER, MD, CHIEF OF NEWBORN
MEDICINE, CHAIR OF PEDIATRICS, SARATOGA HOSPITAL MEDICAL GROUP –NEONATOLOGY
Holidays and small children go hand-in-hand. Grandparents often plan all year long to celebrate with their grandchildren. Now, in the middle of a combined pandemic and flu season, families are finding ways to do things a little differently, such as spending time together from a distance. The safest thing for families is not to travel “over the river and through the woods” to grandmother’s or anyone else’s house this year. We even recommend no pictures with Santa or taking children to see holiday-dressed store windows. I know how disappointing this must be, but we all have to be very careful about attending or holding family gatherings, even small ones. Much of the spread of COVID-19 is happening among relatives and friends who let their guard down, hug each other, or leave off their masks. That is especially risky around small children, because they cannot wear masks until age 2. We have to keep our grandparents safe, too. While there have been very few studies showing grandparents being infected with an illness from contact with a baby, the baby’s parents or older siblings could pose a risk. The reverse, however, of a grandparent or other adult infecting a baby is all too common. Those illnesses typically include COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), and pertussis (whooping cough). As a neonatologist, I have the pleasure of seeing newborns welcomed into the arms of their parents. I also have the responsibility of helping families understand how to keep them safe from infection, especially at such a vulnerable age. Here are some precautions that may help mitigate the risk of infection for everyone in your family. First, whether you are celebrating the holidays or introducing your new baby, try choosing to enjoy your extended family from a distance. Just about everyone is using video technology such as FaceTime and Zoom for virtual visits and parties these days. Another option is to hold an “open house,” where visitors come, one at a time, up to a window to see your newborn or small children while they wave, serenade, or hold up celebratory signs. You and your children can also have a meet-and-greet with visitors from your front doorway, as long as they are masked and standing outside, at least six feet away.
If you choose to welcome one or two visitors inside, I recommend the following checklist to make sure the visit is as safe as possible:
Jennifer Lefner, MD, Chief of Newborn Medicine, Chair of Pediatrics, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Neonatology
• Visitors must not have any symptoms of COVID-19, flu, or any contagion. • Strongly recommend visitors have a flu shot and be caught up on their vaccines, such as a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) booster if they have not had one in a while. • Visitors from out of state must abide by New York State COVID-19 travel and quarantine rules as listed on the New York State Department of Health website. • Visitors who have been confirmed COVID-negative must have received the test results within three days of the visit. • Ask visitors to self-quarantine for two weeks before they visit: meaning no shopping, everything delivered, and no contact with anyone outside their household for 14 days without exception. • Visitors must wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and wear masks that cover both the nose and the mouth. Bandanas and neck gaiters are not acceptable. • Move your furniture 6 feet apart and mark tape on the floor in standing areas, like the kitchen. None of these precautions can keep you from having a good time, and all of them can give you better peace of mind. No one wants to spend the holidays sick. There are many additional resources available for families who want to enjoy visitors while keeping their family members safe, such as Healthychildren.org, provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics. For more information about Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Neonatology, visit SaratogaHospital.org. And from all of us here at Saratoga Hospital, best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!
44 | SARATOGA FAMILY | CHRISTMAS 2020
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