COVID-19 in children

Welcome to our community of practitioners, researchers, and others, who have an interest in, and are contributing to, the body of science about COVID-19 in children. Although it seems at this point that COVID-19 has a less severe impact on the children, it is equally true that our understanding and treatment of the virus in children are in its infancy. One sick child is one too many, and we need to harness our understanding and treatment of the disease in children.

Purpose

This website therefore aims to promote the collaboration and sharing of resources and knowledge, specifically related to COVID-19 in children, amongst:   

  • South African clinicians working in child health and paediatrics;
  • Researchers working in maternal and child health; and
  • Virologists and epidemiologists interested in the epidemiology of COVID-19 in children.

We will be sharing information and contact details of the following:

  • Research projects
  • The latest research evidence
  • Reports from the World Health Organisation and relevant institutions
  • Funding opportunities
  • Diagnostic and treatment guidelines
 
Research projects

Multi-site studies

  • Paediatric genome project
    Aim: To identify host and viral genetic variants that may play a role in determining susceptibility and outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 positive children
    Method: To define cohorts of COVID-19 patients affected by the disease, and to collect detailed phenotypic data, DNA, RNA and serum on each patient; to undertake a detailed host and viral genotypic analysis in study participants; to undertake a genotype-phenotype association analysis to identify variants associated with susceptibility and outcome.
    Contact: michael.pepper@up.ac.za

Implementation research

Other

  • COVID-KIDS: A prospective hospital-based (Tygerberg Hospital) study investigating the clinical phenotype, immunology, respiratory morbidity, psychological impact and transmission dynamics of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
    Contact persons: Andrew Redfern (redfern@sun.ac.za) and Mariek van der Zalm (mariekevdzalm@sun.ac.za)  
  • COVID-HG: A research study to determine the underlying human genetic causes of severe COVID-19 disease or resistance in South Africans
    Contact persons: Marlo Moller (marlom@sun.ac.za) and Desiree Petersen (desiree.petersen@cpgr.org.za)
Diagnostic and treatment guidelines
  • COVID-19 Maternal & newborn care guidelines V2 (updated 8 July 2020)
    This living document contains the latest algorithms and guidelines for managing pregnant women and newborns in the context of COVID-19 in South Africa. The document also contain a guideline for the provision of maternity and reproductive health services in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic – for provinces, districts, facilities and clinical managers.
Information repositories
Statements by professional bodies
Seminal publications

CDC

NICD

WHO

Peer-reviewed articles

Non-peer reviewed articles / reports / presentations 
Media Coverage
Apps and Products
  • Paediatric Protective Pillars App: WITS Paediatrics fund and Wits Department of Paediatrics
    The WITS Paediatrics fund and the Wits Department of Paediatrics are excited to launch the Paediatric Protective Pillars. (Download instructions)
    Our aim is to share useful, carefully curated content widely and easily to support colleagues across our circuit (and beyond) as they navigate the current COVID-19 crisis. The App is centred on four Pillars:
    • Guidelines Pillar – Access to Guidelines
    • Training Pillar – Access to teaching material
    • Support Pillar ­– Access to care and psychological support for Health care workers
    • SOS Pillar -  Guidance for clinicians in our department who may have COVID”
Funding opportunities
 
Institutional partners

Community members

Invitation
If you have any information that you want to post on this website, or enquiries on content hosted here, please contact Arrie Odendaal: willem.odendaal@mrc.ac.za

 

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