Travel is scary now enough for adults. I have several friends who have flown and send me pictures of themselves on the airplane. It was anxiety ridden, according to them. They were as cautious as they could be, social distancing at the airports, totally covered from head to toe, with disinfectants at their fingertips. They wore masks, shields, and gloves. They wiped their entire seat area with disinfectant wipes. They wore clothing they changed right after the flights. Most did not use the airplane bathroom; one who did disinfected everything. I suggested wearing an adult diaper but no one took me up on that idea.
They followed all quarantine requirements and other requirements of their travel location and home location. No one got COVID from their travels thus far. Being high risk, we have not yet been required to travel, but understand that may be in our future. I cannot see us on an airplane yet. Yes, I have prepared for any car travel in advance, just in case.
This blog post is to help you become prepared in advance, and have your grandchildren prepared in advance for the possibility of needing a COVID-19 test, knowing where, how, and especially, how to prepare the child for such a test.
EVERY STATE’S CORONAVIRUS AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
Each of our friends, before the journey, had to check the pre travel requirements for the travel, and the requirements nationwide are not uniform. Fortunately, there is a great website to check each state’s requirements. Under Wendy Perrin’s travel tips is an article updated frequently, “Every State’s Coronavirus and Travel Information,” by Billie Cohen, last updated September 8, 2020.
HOW TO GET A QUICK COVID-19 TEST FOR TRAVEL
Since many states require showing negative COVID-19 test results taken within 48 hours to 72 hours of arrival, Wendy Perrin also provides three of the best options for getting such a last-minute result. On her website travel section, “How to Get a Quick Covid Test for Travel,” by Brook Wilkinson, September 11, 2020, all three “are all RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that have received Emergency Use Authorizations from the F.D.A. and are performed in CLIA-certified labs.”
She gives the prices, the requirements, and turn around time.
The Covid Consultants 303-386-5986
Spit test. There is no minimum age as long as the child is able to get enough saliva to spit in the cup.
Pixel by LabCorp 800-833-3935
Swab test.
Vault Health 212-880-5495
Spit test. There is no minimum age as long as the child is able to get enough saliva to spit in the cup.
ONLY ONE MAIL IN TEST FOR VULNERABLE IMMUNOSUPPRESSED CHILDREN
There is only one mail in test designed purposefully for children, developed by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. It is specifically for children with transplanted organs, eliminating the need for the vulnerable immunosuppressed children to visit the hospital in person.
COVID-19 TESTING IS AN ISSUE FOR TODDLER AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
In the New York Times, Sunday, September 13, 2020, a mother of a two year old, Sarah Kliff, shared the difficulty she faced getting her two year old son a COVID-19 test in person when his day care had an outbreak.
She consistently found age restrictions that excluded young children, such as hers, “including differences in health insurance, medical privacy rules, certain tests not being approved for kids and fears of squirmy or shrieking children.” One parent she interviewed who found the one mail in test that required a saliva spit that supposedly was approved for children had requirements that could not be fulfilled by very young children. She ultimately found a drive through urgent care center who could accommodate her 2 year old son through another parent. Sarah Kliff set forth that even different cities have different locations and requirements for COVID-19 testing for children, so parents not only have to check their state requirements, but also have to check their city’s requirements.
Now that schools and preschools are opening, please forewarn the parents of your grandchildren.
HOW TO MAKE COVID-19 SWAB TESTS EASIER FOR CHILDREN
We all have seen the photographs and read the reports about how awful and uncomfortable the nasal swab test is for adults. For children, this is even more difficult and anxiety ridden. The New York Times also published a helpful article for parents of children if the child must be COVID-19 tested, “Coronavirus Tests Can Be Scary for Kids. Here’s How to Make Them Easier,” by Holly Rosenkrantz, updated July 17, 2020.
There is an additional link to an article by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about preparing a child for the test. Most important, the New York Times article provides strategies that work to help children who must have a COVID-19 test.
VIDEO FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FOUR TO PREPARE FOR A COVID-19 NASAL SWAB TEST
The article provides a link to a video by the Mayo Clinic for children as young as four years old, “to prepare children for a Covid-19 nasal swab test, to help ease some of their potential fear and anxiety.”
PARENTS CAN BE PREPARED
Please tell the parents of your grandchildren to be prepared. Schools are opening and a COVID-19 test may be in the future of your grandchildren. The first place to check is the pediatrician. Next, a local urgent care center. However, as the newspaper reporter found with her own two year old child, be sure to check on age requirements or limitations.
Three of our grandchildren have taken the Vault Health mail in test. The two oldest required by their school, and Vault Health was recommended. The nine year old required by his sleep away camp, and Vault Health was recommended. As an aside, the camp that the nine year old attended for five weeks is one of four camps in Maine that successfully completed the camp term with CDC followed preparations and precautions for COVID-19. See the CDC study on the procedures they followed.
Not only is the Vault Heath test expensive, it can be challenging as it requires the child to accumulate a large amount of saliva for the test, according to the newspaper reporter above, who said it was too difficult for a two year old. Our older grandchildren agree that it is a difficult requirement. A Zoom conference with a Vault Heath physician is required, who takes you through the procedures required, confirming the person taking the test. There is a Zoom “waiting room” the parent signs up for, and each person is taken in turn. The test package includes a mailer for next day delivery to Vault Heath, and results came back in less than two days. Fortunately, all results were negative for our grandchildren.
If and when your grandchildren need to be tested, please tell the parents of your grandchildren, to know their options in advance. If your grandchildren require such a COVID-19 test, I hope your grandchildren also come back negative.
Joy,
Mema
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