What can I do about COVID-19?

My name is Gordon Doig and I am an epidemiologist who has worked in critical care for more than 20 years. I live in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Like you, I have tried to keep up to date on the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) that started in Wuhan, China. Because I don't see a lot of truly useful information coming from the mainstream media, I have been going directly to credible sources like the World Health Organisation. The purpose of this page is to describe in plain language what the WHO recommends and to provide links to WHO content so you can understand exactly what they are saying.

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Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents with COVID-19

On 15 May the WHO released a scientific brief to promote awareness of the expression of MIS in children and adolescents here .


Children and adolescents are less likely to get COVID-19, and if they do get infected, they generally have mild disease. Serious illness due to COVID-19 is seen infrequently in children and adolescents, although there have been rare cases of critical illness.

Recently, reports from Europe and North America have described clusters of children and adolescents requiring admission to intensive care units with a multi-system inflammatory condition leading to multiorgan failure and shock.

In children or adolesencents from 0 to 19 years of age, the key signs include:

  • Fever for longer than 3 days plus at least two of the following:

    • Rash on the hands or feet or abdomen OR conjunctivitis (painful, itchy or burning pink/red eyes) OR muco-cutaneous inflammation (cracked lips, mouth ulcers or lesions)

    • Acute gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain)

    • Signs of hypotension or shock (fatigue, lightheadedness, dizziness, clammy skin, loss of consciousness or blurry vision).

If you are concerned, please ensure your child or teenager receives prompt medical attention.


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Page last modified on Friday 22 May 2020.