key: cord-327125-86ocr70d
authors: Iehara, Tomoko; Manabe, Atsushi; Hosoi, Hajime
title: Statement on the prevention and treatment of COVID‐19 in patients with pediatric cancer in Japan
date: 2020-06-22
journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28440
sha: 
doc_id: 327125
cord_uid: 86ocr70d

nan

To the Editor:

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic since December 2019. The reported risk factors for severe infection include old age, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cancer. 1 Some reports showed that many pediatric cases were asymptomatic. 2, 3 Three of 171 cases of pediatric infections in Wuhan required intensive care including ventilator use and one of these cases was a leukemia patient undergoing maintenance therapy. 2 Pediatric cancer patients are presumed to be at high risk of COVID- If the PCR result is positive, the patient is isolated in a room with negative pressure, and healthcare professionals shall implement preventive measures against droplet/contact infection.

The condition of patients infected with COVID-19 will be classified into one of the four categories (Table 1) If a patient who is PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 requires diagnostic imaging tests, bedside diagnostic approaches such as ultrasonography or plain X-rays using portable machinery should be prioritized.

Patients requiring tests such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans and scintigraphy should be kept from contact with other patients. The patient being tested should wear a mask while on the way to the testing room and the test technician should wear PPE and take appropriate measures to prevent droplet/contact infection.

Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan

SARS-CoV-2 infection in children

Clinical and epidemiological features of 36 children

China: an observational cohort study

Challenges posed by COVID-19 to children with cancer

Diagnosis and treatment recommendations for pediatric respiratory infection caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus

Multicenter initial guidance on use of antivirals for children with COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2