This is the place to start before you call us. We have information about testing, how to deal with possible symptoms, and other pertinent information.  We also have regular updates on how we are handling patient visits during the pandemic.  Please note: If your question is not answered from a resource on our website,  you will most likely need to schedule a consultation with one of our pediatricians during office hours to discuss your concerns in detail.

If you or someone else tested positive for COVID-19 refer to the CDC website for complete details.

Vaccine update 2024:

The CDC has cleared the way for the even the youngest kids to receive the COVID vaccination. Due to availability and regulatory storage requirements of Covid-19 vaccines , we do not usually stock the Covid-19 vaccine in our office – please call for information about availability if your child is under 12 years of age.  We recommend a local pharmacy for older children as they have adequate supplies.  Please remember to notify us of any vaccines your child gets outside of our office so that we can update their vaccination records.

Quarantine update:

The CDC’s new quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 can be found here.  We have summarized it for you below.

ISOLATION

1. Limit interaction with family members.
2. Use own towels and utensils.
3. Use own bathroom if feasible.
4. Clean surfaces after use.
5. Wear a face mask continuously when around other people.

If you test positive for Covid 19

Regardless of your vaccination status:

• School age children, day care kids, and those unable to mask effectively need to isolate for 10 days, or follow local school district guidelines.  
• Except for the above, follow CDC guidelines of shortened isolation.  If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house on day 6 BUT must strictly continue to wear an effective a mask around others for 5 additional days.

If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

School age children, day care kids, and those unable to mask effectively need to follow local school district guidelines.

If you:  are asymptomatic AND have been boosted  OR  completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months

• Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
• Test on day 5, if possible, so you can stop strictly masking

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

If you:  Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR
Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted OR Are unvaccinated

• Stay home and quarantine for 5 days. After that, continue to strictly wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• If you can’t quarantine, you must at least strictly wear an effective mask for 10 days.
• Test on day 5 if possible

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

 General

• If you need a letter for school please schedule a telephone visit so we can assess risk.
• All patients that are COVID 19 positive. Please keep a symptom diary. No strenuous physical exercise for 10 days after symptom being free. Cardiac clearance will need to be done prior to returning to sport for any patient 12 years and up.
• COVID PCR test which we send to Northshore LAB will have results available within 2-3 days. If we do a COVID PCR test in house, patient is financially responsible if insurance does not cover. Results will usually be available within 2 hours but never more than 24 hours.
• All patients that have had a positive test elsewhere need to schedule a video visit with a doctor to evaluate and counsel
• No strenuous physical exercise for 10 days after symptom being free. Cardiac clearance will need to be done prior to returning to sport.

COVID VACCINATIONS UPDATE (11/2/21):

COVID Vaccine for 12 and above

We recommend you use the community resources available to get your 12 years and older children vaccinated as soon as possible.

Mental health help

NEW!!  There is a CBT-based workbook for those coping with Covid-19 related anxiety or depression. It was created by clinical psychologist, Keith Gaynor PhD, from St. John’s Hospital in Dublin.  Click here to download a copy

General COVID-19 Testing

We are now able to provide extremely reliable rapid PCR testing in our office.  Results are usually available the same day, but always within 24 hours. Please refer to the following document for more details.

Rapid PCR COVID in office testing overview

Rapid PCR Financial Responsibility Form

We are unable to give an order to a hospital system we are not on staff at. They are not accepting our orders.

For Northshore, call 847-432-5849 to go through COVID screener. Available sites  (Gurnee, Skokie/Old Orchard, Niles, Lake Bluff) and provide reasons for referral. You need to pass their criteria to be eligible for a test.

For Lurie Childrens COVID-19 testing, please call 312-227-5300. You need to pass their criteria for testing.

For Asymptomatic Patients as well as Symptomatic Patients

Arlington International Racecourse, 2200 W Euclid Ave., in Arlington Heights, open Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat from 8am until 4pm.

Visit http://dph.illinois.gov/testing  for more information from State of Illinois

Free testing is available at IDPH in Waukegan, 102 W. Water Street Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat from 8 am -4 pm

Private Testing at:

PromptMed Urgent Care call 847-652-9700 in Antioch
https://www.promptmedurgentcare.net/

Affordable Labs Inc in Vernon Hills 847-367-8636
http://affordablelabsinc.com/

Other sites to consider:

CVS and Walgreens have testing sites. Go on their websites to register.

https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing?ban=covid_vanity_testing

https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing 18 years and older

Walmart: 1-800-635-8611 for more information

https://www.doineedacovid19test.com/

In Chicago go to https://innovativecorona.com/

At home testing

Saliva test kits for at home use can be ordered directly from the Vitagene lab for$129 at https://vitagene.com/products/covid-19-saliva-test-kit/

Public Health Guidance for Community-Related Exposure

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html

Public Health Guidance for Potential COVID-19 Exposure Associated with International Travel or Domestic Travel

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html

COVID-19 Antibody Testing

Anti-body testing of an individual is of limited value.  A comprehensive explanation is given below.

There remain significant gaps in our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and immunity, which affects the interpretation of serological test results. The presence of antibodies is not necessarily equivalent to protection from SARS-CoV-2. If antibodies are present, it will be important to understand if they are functional and at sufficient levels to be effective. The following are areas where further research is needed in order to accurately
interpret results of serology tests:

1. Correlates of immunity: It remains unclear if antibodies detected by serological tests are virus-neutralizing and what this means for protection from reinfection. We also do not know the amount of antibody needed for protection, or how important other parts of the immune system are, such as cell-mediated immunity (T cells) for protection against COVID-19.

2. Length of immunity after infection: It is not known how long antibodies last in patients recovered from COVID-19, and how long those persisting antibodies remain effective. It is not known if SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits immune memory, which provides long-term protection.

3. Cross-reactivity of patient antibodies: The COVID-19 serology tests are meant only to detect patient antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2, but there are many circulating coronaviruses to which patients may have preexisting
antibodies. It remains unclear if patients who have had other coronavirus infections could have antibodies that test positive on COVID-19 serology tests, and which parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus should be used in serology tests to ensure that the patient antibodies detected are specific to that virus.

COVID VACCINE RESOURCES FOR HIGH RISK PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

High-risk is defined as:

• Chronic respiratory condition (asthma, trach/vent/supplemental oxygen, CF)
• Congenital heart disease, heart failure and/or pulmonary hypertension
• Chronic neurologic condition (epilepsy, CP/developmental delay, neuromuscular disorders)
• Oncology patients (with acceptable cell counts as determined by medical team and without impending chemotherapy scheduled)
• Solid organ transplant recipients (at least 6 months after transplant and at discretion of medical team)
• Stem cell transplant (at least 1 year after transplant and at discretion of medical team)
• Children on other forms of chronic immunosuppression (steroid, TNF blockade or other; at the discretion of their medical team)
• Morbid obesity (BMI > or = 95%ile)
• Diabetes mellitus
• Down Syndrome
• Sickle Cell disease

Even if you registered in Lake County and/or Cook County, you may as well register with Walgreens, CVS, and Jewel (Albertson’s) (which all three are part of the National Guard sites) ,Meijer, Walmart, Mariano’s (starting 2/1) and possibly Costco. REMEMBER TO CONFIRM YOUR REGISTRATIONS

Walgreen’s https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing…
CVS https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine#statetool
Jewel (Albertsons) https://www.mhealthappointments.com/covidappt
Meijer (you can register now) https://clinic.meijer.com/register/CL0001
Lake County https://allvax.lakecohealth.org/s/?language=en_US
Cook County https://redcap.dph.illinois.gov/surveys/?s=PP8PJNFHMW
Chicago https://www.chicago.gov/…/sites/covid19-vaccine/home.html
DuPage County https://dupagehealth.jotform.com/200694254415049

At Advocate they are recommending that Advocate patients prepare by signing up on LIVEWELL APP or create an account on MyAdvocateAurora website

NEWS  UPDATES FROM OFFICE – PLEASE READ

Update 7/10

As part of our continuous effort to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff, our office is strictly following the recommended guidelines: Anyone who has recently traveled to any of the states currently experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases, will need to quarantine for 14 days upon their return. 

If your family has traveled and your children have an appointment within the 14-day time frame, please call to reschedule at least two weeks out from the date you return. Since the widespread outbreak of COVID-19, our doctors and staff have been working hard to implement and even exceed all safety precautions.

We also wish to remind you of the importance of wearing face masks and observing social distancing to prevent spread of the virus.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide a safe visit for everyone!

UPDATED  5/5

Dear Associated Pediatric Partners Families,

Please know that as your trusted family pediatricians our mission is to keep you and your child(ren) healthy and safe.

Our summer checkup season has begun, and annual physical slots are filling up.  Annual preventative care visits are vitally important, as they allow us to monitor your child’s general physical and emotional health, growth, and development and follow up on any medical issues.  It is also exceedingly important that your child remain up to date on vaccinations.

As we face these challenging times together, your pediatricians remain available 7 days a week to help provide caring, timely, and thorough medical care to your children.

We have taken every precaution to keep our office safe for our patients:

• All staff, physicians, and persons over the age of two are required to wear a mask in the office
• We screen all patients and their parents before they come to the office, including those coming in for wellness visits.
• Patients are roomed immediately, and no one is kept in our waiting rooms.
• All sick visits are first screened and managed by telemedicine video consult. Sick visits when appropriate are scheduled at the end of the day only.
• We maintain stringent disinfection of all our rooms, including all equipment and baby scales

We understand that this is a time of uncertainty for everyone. Let us help you relieve one source of uncertainty by allowing us to safely evaluate and manage your children’s health during these unusual times.  Please know that we are working to keep you and your child(ren) healthy and safe.

Your family pediatricians,

Dr. M. Belinda Radis MD      Dr. Dov Shapiro, MD    Dr. Asha Varghese MD

Dr. Cheryl Donovan-Hunt MD          Dr. Dina Kaner MD

How and when to safely see your pediatrician during the COVID19 epidemic

Dear Associated Pediatric Partners Families,

Just wanted to update you on how we are handling the COVID-19 epidemic and advise you on how and when to reach us for routine care, help and advice.  Children still need routine care, check-ups and immunizations even during this epidemic.  In fact, we saw 12 healthy babies this week alone and dozens of healthy child check-ups.  Visits are limited to one healthy parent and the child(ren) being examined.  If your child is scheduled for a routine visit and you or your child has developed cough or fever, please call us and let us know ahead of time so the doctor can evaluate your child by video conference.  If your child is well, please keep your scheduled appointment, as due to our precautions, our office is NOT a risk to your child’s health.  Our office is the second safest place you can be, after your own home.  In fact, given that all your children are at home, now is an excellent time to get a head start on their annual physicals before the summer rush.

We have been in daily contact with public health and infectious disease experts and are having daily meetings about how best to manage your children’s medical needs safely and efficiently during this crisis.  We are pleased to report that our offices continue to exceed all recommended CDC and IDPH COVID-19 precautions.  One good piece of news is that children appear to be the least affected population during this epidemic.

We started utilizing telemedicine/video visits this week and have already seen over 40 patients utilizing this technology.  While it can only be used for conditions that do not require an in-person physical examination, it is an exciting new option for those who cannot leave their homes due to quarantine.  It is also an easy and effective option for those who need med checks for asthma, ADHD or mood disorders and can be done from the comfort of your own home.  Simply call our office to set up a telemedicine visit and then click on the following link on the day of your appointment. https://associatedpediatricpartners.com/doxy/

We eliminated all sick hours and walk-in visits 2 weeks ago and we have been screening all patients before their arrival in our office.  In fact, every day from 9 AM until 3 PM is devoted solely to healthy visits. 3 PM till 5 PM is devoted to non COVID-19 related sick visits.  Any patients with suspicious symptoms or COVID-19 risk factors are being evaluated by telemedicine (phone or video visit) and, if appropriate, tested at outside facilities that are set up for coronavirus testing.

For now, we recommend that patients who have been exposed to the novel coronavirus but are asymptomatic should self-quarantine for 14 days.  Those who have been exposed to coronavirus and are having symptoms of fever, cough, or shortness of breath should call us and we will we evaluate them by telemedicine and then direct them to the appropriate place for testing and evaluation if necessary. Please do not simply show up to an emergency room or testing facility on your own.

We are still here every day and ready to help in any way we can.

Your family pediatricians,

Dr. M. Belinda Radis MD

Dr. Dov Shapiro, MD

Dr. Asha Varghese MD

Dr. Cheryl Donovan-Hunt MD

Dr. Dina Kaner MD

UPDATED 3/19

At Associated Pediatric Partners we continue to have only one goal – the safety and health of your children.  Towards that end, we have been preparing for the COVID-19 pandemic for the past 4 weeks.  As the situation is fluid and rapidly changing, we are also in constant contact with infectious disease experts and are having daily meetings about how best to manage your children’s medical needs safely and efficiently.

Considering the current situation, effective this coming Monday, March 23^rd, we will be adjusting our office hours.

Both offices will be staffed by physicians during the following hours & patients will be seen by appointment only.

Monday thru Friday: Buffalo Grove:  9 AM till 5 PM

Monday thru Friday: Northbrook:  10 AM till 5 PM (phones open at 9 AM)

Saturday:  Both offices from 9 AM until 12 PM

Sunday: 9 AM until 10 AM (please call at 9 AM if you need to be seen on Sunday)

As always, we are available by phones for urgent questions 24/7 and our office will remain open 7 days a week. We reserve the right to charge a fee for non-urgent calls that can be dealt with during normal office hours.

We have eliminated walk in visits and for the past week we have been screening all patients before their arrival in our office.  Any patients with COVID-19 risk factors are being evaluated over the phone and, if appropriate, tested at outside facilities that are set up for coronavirus testing.  No one is allowed in the waiting area as all patients are immediately checked in and placed in a room. We are also utilizing enhanced cleaning of all rooms before and after each patient and using separate rooms for healthy and sick visits.

Children still need routine care, medication checks, and evaluation for illnesses even during this epidemic.  Just in the past 3 days alone, we have already seen 19 children with influenza, 5 with ear infections, 6 with bacterial pneumonia, and 14 with strep throat.  If your child is scheduled for a routine visit and you or your child have developed cough or fever, please call us and let us know ahead of time so the doctor can decide if your child needs evaluation in our office or is better off rescheduling their appointment.  If your child is well, please keep your scheduled appointment as our office is currently NOT a risk to your child’s health.  The situation remains fluid and if COVID-19 continues to spread we may need to switch to sick visits only, but for now we are open for routine medical care as usual.

We will also be offering phone consultations to help assess the condition of your sick child(ren) if coming into the office for a scheduled appointment is not an option.  As we have previously communicated, you may be charged a fee for this service if your insurance does not reimburse us.

For now, we recommend that patients who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus but are asymptomatic should self-quarantine for 14 days.  Those who have been may exposed to coronavirus and are having symptoms of fever, cough, or shortness of breath should call us and we will direct them to the appropriate place for testing and evaluation.  Please do not simply show up to an emergency room or testing facility on your own.

Please know that our doctors and staff are here for all our patients during this difficult time.  We will continue to care for your children’s health in the safest and most appropriate way possible.

Your pediatricians

More information on coronavirus (Covid-19) can be found at

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

http://www.dph.illinois.gov/

https://www.northshore.org/healthy-you/novel-coronavirus-2019/