Managing neonates with respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 – Authors' reply
Jianhui Wang
Yuan Shi
Published:March 06, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30072-9
We thank Daniele De Luca for his reflections on our Comment.1 We agree that testing all admitted neonates for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not necessary. We recommended screening all newly admitted infants at high risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the basis of their family history. Only high-risk patients should receive a nucleic acid test for SARS-CoV-2. However, all high-risk neonates should be isolated in a single room, preferably in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Based on existing experience, some patients initially present with mild flu-like symptoms but rapidly develop respiratory distress and multiple organ failure. Admitting all neonates with COVID-19 to the NICU could ensure the availability of close monitoring and necessary interventions.2 However, each clinical setting should consider its bed surge capacity in case of a COVID-19 outbreak and adopt a flexible and variable approach to admitting patients.