Published online Apr 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i8.1343
Peer-review started: March 4, 2020
First decision: March 27, 2020
Revised: March 30, 2020
Accepted: April 4, 2020
Article in press: April 4, 2020
Published online: April 26, 2020
Processing time: 51 Days and 3.2 Hours
The pneumonia caused by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. The gastrointestinal symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain and the detection of COVID-19 nucleic acid from fecal specimens in a small number of patients suggest the possibility of transmission via the gastrointestinal tract. People of all ages are vulnerable to this virus, including children. Digestive endoscopy is an invasive procedure during which children cannot wear masks; therefore, they have higher risks of exposure to COVID-19, and the digestive endoscopy center is a relatively high-risk area for COVID-19 infection. Based on these factors and in combination with related policies and regulations, a prevention and control program for the COVID-19 pneumonia in a children's digestive endoscopy center was established to prevent the COVID-19 nosocomial infection.
Core tip: We established a prevention and control program for the novel coronavirus infection in a children’s digestive endoscopy center to prevent nosocomial infection. The program is based on the characteristics of pediatric patients, the severity of the epidemic, and a relatively high risk of infection due to invasive procedures, according to the related policies and regulations. The program is expected to be useful for pediatric digestive endoscopists as a guideline.