GREENSBORO, N.C. — Triad pediatricians are continuing to take precautions against the coronavirus but want people to know they're still available if needed.
"Volume-wise we're a lot slower than we have been, than what we're used to seeing," said Lynn Klett, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Piedmont Pediatrics.
Most offices are holding wellness visits in the mornings while afternoons are dedicated to sick children. In-depth cleaning happens in-between visits and at the end of the day.
Some offices allow patients to bypass the waiting room--sort of. They wait in their cars until their exam rooms are ready.
"People are starting to come out a little bit," said Dr. Bryan Sumner at Carolina Pediatrics of the Triad, "Part of that is getting the word out about how important check-ups are."
Sumner said wellness visits are important, especially in young children to track their development.
Pediatricians said you should keep them on track with vaccinations because diseases like measles are dangerously contagious too.
"One of the things you want to make sure of is you don't create other illnesses going back around," said Kaye Gable who leads Cone Health's pediatric teaching program.
Klett said it's also important to talk to your child about coronavirus.
"They know that there's something going on in the world. Help them understand what that is and why it's important to keep your hands clean and away from your face and not go out all the time," said Klett.
Many Guilford County pediatricians are using telehealth for patients so they recommend calling before appointments to see if that's an option for your child.