IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i18p9547-d632840.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of Relaxed Lockdown on Pediatric ER Visits during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Luigi Matera

    (Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Raffaella Nenna

    (Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesca Ardenti Morini

    (Pediatric Unit, Sant’Eugenio Hospital, 00144 Rome, Italy)

  • Giuseppe Banderali

    (Department of Clinical Paediatrics, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy)

  • Mauro Calvani

    (Operative Unit of Pediatrics, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, 00151 Rome, Italy)

  • Matteo Calvi

    (Pediatric Emergency Department, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, 24127 Bergamo, Italy)

  • Giorgio Cozzi

    (Institute for Maternal and Child Health Burlo Garofalo, 34137 Trieste, Italy)

  • Raffaele Falsaperla

    (General Pediatrics and Pediatric Acute and Emergency Unit, Vittorio Emanuele University Hospital, 95121 Catania, Italy)

  • Roberto Guidi

    (Department of Pediatric Emergency, G. Salesi Hospital, 60123 Ancona, Italy)

  • Ahmad Kantar

    (Pediatric Unit, Istituti Ospedalieri Bergamaschi, Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato, 24059 Ponte San Pietro, Italy)

  • Marcello Lanari

    (Pediatric Emergency Unit, Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare, Sant’Orsola Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy)

  • Riccardo Lubrano

    (Pediatric Unit, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 04100 Latina, Italy)

  • Beatrice Messini

    (Pediatric Unit, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, 06034 Foligno, Italy)

  • Antonio Augusto Niccoli

    (Pediatric Unit, Fabrizio Spaziani Hospital, 03100 Frosinone, Italy)

  • Vincenzo Tipo

    (Pediatric Emergency Department, Santobono-Pausilipon Hospital, 06049 Napoli, Italy)

  • Fabio Midulla

    (Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • on behalf of the CICERO Group

    (Membership of CICERO Group is Provided in the Acknowledgments.)

Abstract

Previously, we demonstrated an 81% reduction in pediatric Emergency Room (ER) visits in Italy during the strict lockdown due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Since May 2020, lockdown measures were relaxed until 6 November 2020, when a strict lockdown was patchily reintroduced. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of the relaxed lockdown on pediatric ER visits in Italy. We performed a retrospective multicenter study involving 14 Italian pediatric ERs. We compared total ER visits from 24 September 2020 to 6 November 2020 with those during the corresponding timeframe in 2019. We evaluated 17 ER specific diagnoses grouped in air communicable and non-air communicable diseases. We recognized four different triage categories: white, green, yellow and red. In 2020 total ER visits were reduced by 51% compared to 2019 (16,088 vs. 32,568, respectively). The decrease in air communicable diseases was significantly higher if compared to non-air communicable diseases (−64% vs. −42%, respectively). ER visits in each triage category decreased in 2020 compared to 2019, but in percentage, white and red codes remained stable, while yellow codes slightly increased and green codes slightly decreased. Our results suggest that preventive measures drastically reduced the circulation of air communicable diseases even during the reopening of social activities but to a lesser extent with regard to the strict lockdown period (March–May 2020).

Suggested Citation

  • Luigi Matera & Raffaella Nenna & Francesca Ardenti Morini & Giuseppe Banderali & Mauro Calvani & Matteo Calvi & Giorgio Cozzi & Raffaele Falsaperla & Roberto Guidi & Ahmad Kantar & Marcello Lanari & R, 2021. "Effects of Relaxed Lockdown on Pediatric ER Visits during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9547-:d:632840
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9547/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9547/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chih-Chia Hsieh & Chih-Hao Lin & William Yu Chung Wang & David J. Pauleen & Jengchung Victor Chen, 2020. "The Outcome and Implications of Public Precautionary Measures in Taiwan–Declining Respiratory Disease Cases in the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-10, July.
    2. Gianluca Lo Coco & Ambra Gentile & Ksenija Bosnar & Ivana Milovanović & Antonino Bianco & Patrik Drid & Saša Pišot, 2021. "A Cross-Country Examination on the Fear of COVID-19 and the Sense of Loneliness during the First Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Louhiala, P.J. & Jaakkola, N. & Ruotsalainen, R. & Jaakkola, J.J.K., 1995. "Form of day care and respiratory infections among Finnish children," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(8), pages 1109-1112.
    4. Enrique Casalino & Christophe Choquet & Donia Bouzid & Olivier Peyrony & Sonja Curac & Eric Revue & Jean-Paul Fontaine & Patrick Plaisance & Anthony Chauvin & Daniel Aiham Ghazali, 2020. "Analysis of Emergency Department Visits and Hospital Activity during Influenza Season, COVID-19 Epidemic, and Lockdown Periods in View of Managing a Future Disaster Risk: A Multicenter Observational S," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Luigi Matera & Raffaella Nenna & Valentina Rizzo & Francesca Ardenti Morini & Giuseppe Banderali & Mauro Calvani & Matteo Calvi & Giorgio Cozzi & Elisabetta Fabiani & Raffaele Falsaperla & Ahmad Kanta, 2020. "SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Impact on Pediatric Emergency Rooms: A Multicenter Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-12, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Silvia Spaggiari & Virginia Forlini & Silvia Carraro & Valentina Agnese Ferraro & Stefania Zanconato & Maria Montanaro & Valerio Cecinati & Silvana Zaffani & Claudio Maffeis & Daniela Di Riso, 2022. "Spending Time with Mothers as a Resource for Children with Chronic Diseases: A Comparison of Asthma, Type 1 Diabetes, and Cancer during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chien-Lung Chan & Chi-Chang Chang, 2020. "Big Data, Decision Models, and Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-7, September.
    2. Maria Antonia De Francesco & Caterina Pollara & Franco Gargiulo & Mauro Giacomelli & Arnaldo Caruso, 2021. "Circulation of Respiratory Viruses in Hospitalized Adults before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brescia, Italy: A Retrospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    3. Guogui Huang & Fei Guo, 2022. "Loss of life expectancy due to respiratory infectious diseases: findings from the global burden of disease study in 195 countries and territories 1990–2017," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 1-43, March.
    4. Veljko Kolak & Maja Pavlovic & Ema Aleksic & Vladimir Biocanin & Milica Gajic & Ana Nikitovic & Marija Lalovic & Irena Melih & Dragana Pesic, 2022. "Probable Bruxism and Psychological Issues among Dental Students in Serbia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Priyanka Mitra & Yanwu Zhang & Bijon Kumer Mitra & Rajib Shaw, 2023. "Assessment of Impacts and Resilience of Online Food Services in the Post-COVID-19 Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-17, September.
    6. Anna Chiara Vittucci & Livia Piccioni & Luana Coltella & Claudia Ciarlitto & Livia Antilici & Elena Bozzola & Fabio Midulla & Paolo Palma & Carlo Federico Perno & Alberto Villani, 2021. "The Disappearance of Respiratory Viruses in Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-8, September.
    7. Jing Hou & Dachao Lv & Yuexia Sun & Pan Wang & Qingnan Zhang & Jan Sundell, 2020. "Children’s Respiratory Infections in Tianjin Area, China: Associations with Home Environments and Lifestyles," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-13, June.
    8. Ryuichi Ohta & Koichi Maiguma & Akiko Yata & Chiaki Sano, 2022. "A Solution for Loneliness in Rural Populations: The Effects of Osekkai Conferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-10, April.
    9. Fei Huang & Wenqiu Guo, 2023. "Rise of Mental Sub-Health Consumers: Examining the Compulsive Buying Behavior in the Post-COVID-19 Era," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    10. José Luis Carballo & Ainhoa Coloma-Carmona & Sara Arteseros-Bañón & Virtudes Pérez-Jover, 2021. "The Moderating Role of Caregiving on Fear of COVID-19 and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, June.
    11. Chien-Lung Chan & Chi-Chang Chang, 2022. "Big Data, Decision Models, and Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.
    12. Ana María Recio-Vivas & Isabel Font-Jiménez & José Miguel Mansilla-Domínguez & Angel Belzunegui-Eraso & David Díaz-Pérez & Laura Lorenzo-Allegue & David Peña-Otero, 2022. "Fear and Attitude towards SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection in Spanish Population during the Period of Confinement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-15, January.
    13. Irene Lenoir-Wijnkoop & Laetitia Gerlier & Jean-Louis Bresson & Claude Le Pen & Gilles Berdeaux, 2015. "Public Health and Budget Impact of Probiotics on Common Respiratory Tract Infections: A Modelling Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    14. Hye-Ryoung Kim & Hwa-Mi Yang, 2022. "COVID-19 Fear, Health Behaviors, and Subjective Health Status of Call Center Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-9, July.
    15. Gianluigi Pasta & Alberto Polizzi & Salvatore Annunziata & Catherine Klersy & Lorenzo Fenech & Mohammad Reza Dermenaki Farahani & Matteo Ghiara & Alberto Castelli & Eugenio Jannelli & Federico Alberto, 2022. "Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders Presenting to the Emergency Department: The COVID-19 Lesson," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-10, May.
    16. Meena, Purushottam & Kumar, Gopal, 2022. "Online food delivery companies' performance and consumers expectations during Covid-19: An investigation using machine learning approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    17. Agnieszka Kasiukiewicz & Zyta Beata Wojszel, 2021. "Assessment of Referrals and Hospitalizations in the Hospital Transformed into COVID-19 Facility in Poland during the “Spring Wave” of the Epidemic in 2020—A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, July.
    18. Ryuichi Ohta & Akiko Yata & Yuki Arakawa & Koichi Maiguma & Chiaki Sano, 2021. "Rural Social Participation through Osekkai during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-9, May.
    19. Fermina Rojo-Perez & Vicente Rodriguez-Rodriguez & Gloria Fernandez-Mayoralas & Diego Sánchez-González & Carmen Perez de Arenaza Escribano & Jose-Manuel Rojo-Abuin & Maria João Forjaz & María-Ángeles , 2022. "Residential Environment Assessment by Older Adults in Nursing Homes during COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-19, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9547-:d:632840. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.