Over the past year, WHO has hosted a webinar series focused on the three “Rs”- recognition, research, and rehabilitation to advance the understanding of post COVID-19 condition.
On 17 August 2022 hosted a webinar focused on post COVID-19 condition in children and young people.
This webinar brought together experts from around the world to discuss the latest on post COVID-19 condition in children and young people
Dr Anshu Banerjee Director of the Department of Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO in Geneva, Switzerland opened the webinar welcoming the speakers and participants. He gave an overview of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed the importance of recognition and research towards understanding the clinical characteristics, frequency, risk factors of post COVID-19 condition in children and young people.
Dr Janet Diaz Lead for Clinical Management in the Health Emergencies Programme at WHO provided and overview of “WHO activities for post COVID-19 condition.
Ms Elizabeth Semper is an advocate and carer for three young children with post COVID-19 condition and provided a patient testimonial.
The programme was presented in three sessions.
Recognition
Dr Theo Vos is Professor of Global Health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington and is leading the Global Burden of Disease estimation of Post COVID-19 Condition. He gave us an overview of the epidemiology of post COVID-19 condition in children and young people.
Dr Lauren O’ Mahoney is a Research Associate at the University of Leicester and is a member of the National Long Covid Study Group that reports to the Chief Medical Officer of England. She provided an overview of an updated systematic review performed on post COVID-19 condition in children and young people.
Research
Dr Isabelle Dewandel is a paediatrician and clinical researcher at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa with a main focus on paediatric tuberculosis, lung health and COVID-19. She gave an overview of “Long term outcomes in children with COVID-19 illness in Cape Town, South Africa.”
Dr Selina Kikkenborg Berg is Professor of cardiology at The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet and Copenhagen University. She presented on her paper published in Lancet Adolescent Health on “Long COVID symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 positive children aged 0-14 years and matched controls in Denmark.”
Dr Nina Putri is a paediatric infectious disease consultant working in Cipto Mangunkusumo national referral hospital of Indonesia and a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia working on research related to COVID-19. She presented on behalf of her study on “Post COVID-19 condition in children and young people in Indonesia.
Dr Stephen Freedman is Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on applying clinical research to improve outcomes in children seeking emergency department care and he leads several multi-national pediatric COVID-19 studies. He presented on behalf of his study looking at “Post COVID-19 condition among children 90 days after SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
Dr Daniel Munblit is Professor of Paediatrics at Secheov University in Moscow and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London. He serves as a co-chair of ISARIC Global Paediatric Long COVID Working Group and co-leads PC-COS initiative aimed at developing a Core Outcome Set for post-COVID-19 condition. He presented on the core outcomes set in children and young people
Rehabiltation
Dr Laura Malone is a pediatric neurologist and physician scientist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and an assistant professor of Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is Co-Director of the Pediatric Post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic and presented on models of care in children and young people with post COVID-19 condition
Dr Carolina Toro is an expert in pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation working in Medellín, Colombia. She is dedicated to promoting the health and optimal development of children and presented on rehabilitation in children and young people with post COVID-19 condition.
WRAP UP AND CLOSING REMARKS
Dr Wilson Were Medical Officer in Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health at WHO provided the webinar conclusion.
Dr Janet Diax Lead for Clinical Management in the Health Emergencies Programme at WHO provided the closing remarks.
Thank you to all who joined us for this interesting and informative webinar.
