Impact of SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic and Strategies for Resumption of Activities: A Report from Eight Paediatric Hospitals from the ECHO Network

Abstract

Background: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic impacted the organization of paediatric hospitals. The aims of this study were to evaluate the preparedness for the pandemic among a European network of children’s hospitals and to explore the strategies used to restart paediatric health care services.Methods: A cross‐sectional, web‐based survey was distributed in May 2020 to the 13 children’s tertiary care hospitals belonging to the European Children’s Hospitals Organization, covering the preparedness to the pandemic and the strategies for reopening.Findings: Responses were obtained from eight hospitals (62%). Significant reductions were observed in accesses to the emergency departments (41·7%), outpatient visits (35·7%), intensive and non-intensive care unit inpatient admissions (16·4% and 13%, respectively) between February 1 and April 30, 2020 as compared with the same period of 2019. Overall, 93 children with SARS CoV-2 infection were admitted to inpatient wards. All the hospitals created a multidisciplinary planning committee that developed written SARS-CoV-2 infection preparedness plans for the evaluation, diagnosis and management of confirmed or suspected infected patients. Routine activities were re-scheduled or cancelled. Four hospitals shared their own staff with adult units, two designated bed spaces for adults and only one admitted adults to inpatient wards. The three main components of the strategic planning process for the resumption of clinical activities were testing, source control, and reorganization of spaces and flows of patients. Telemedicine and telehealth services were used before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by three hospitals and by all the hospitals during it.Interpretation: The present study provides for the first time a perspective on preparedness to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic among eight large European children’s hospitals, on the impact of the pandemic on the hospital activities and on the strategies adopted to restart the paediatric health care services.Funding Statement: No source of funding to disclose. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical approval was not required for this service evaluation study because individual patient data was not collected.