A Message to our Maritime Partners from Dr. Conrad Fernandez Re: COVID-19

Dear Maritime Colleagues,

This is a follow up note with the Pediatric Hematology Oncology COVID Pandemic Response Plan.

We continue to provide ongoing care for all urgent patients and patients on chemotherapy.   It is important to continue rapid assessment and treatment of patients with fever and possible neutropenia, or possible hyposplenism.

The attached documents describe in detail our plans for out-patient and in-patient care.

We will be cancelling non-urgent patients for the next three weeks but will be doing telephone visits with them in the meantime and coordinating with you where it is feasible to do local visits or investigations.  The duration of this will be assessed again weekly.

We have been working closely with Jeannette Comeau, Medical Director, Infection Prevention & Control at the IWK Health Centre.  I have included a number of information sheets we have developed that you may consider adapting for local use after consultation with your local COVID response team.  These are considered appendices to the Pandemic Response plan:

1.  IWK Screening Questions Corona Virus (version 23 March 2020)

2.  IWK Algorithm for Triage to Emergency Department (version 17 March 2020)

3.  IWK  COVID Provincial Border Crossing Family Note Template (version 26 March 2020)

4.  IWK  Quick References COVID (version 26 March 2020)

5.  IWK Health Centre PEDIATRIC IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENT (version 26 March 2020)

6.  COVID Resources for Patients and Families

We appreciate that the current situation is evolving for all.  These resources will be updated on a regular basis as needed and posted to the APPHON website.

Please contact me  or the oncologist on call if you have any questions.

Best regards and safe health to you and your families.

Conrad Fernandez MD, FRCPC

Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist

Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Bioethics Head, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre

5850 University Avenue

Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8

phone: 902-470-6839

fax: 902-470-7216 (administrative)

fax: 902-470-7208 (clinical)