NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — To keep any risk of COVID-19 spread down, the Children's Clinic Denbigh Office in Newport News only treats patients who have symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
Dr. Elizabeth Broderick's uniform went from a white coat to an N-95 mask, plastic visor and gloves to protect her from any droplets.
“This is how I look actually walking into a room to see any kind of sick
patient," said Broderick, displaying her visor.
Broderick and her team keep a tally of all the COVID-19 cases diagnosed out of her office. The positive cases in her office increased in the weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday.
“The COVID cases have picked right up," she said. "We were seeing two or three a week, and now we’re seeing a lot closer to seven to nine a week."
The Children’s Clinic treats patients from all across Hampton Roads.
“And we’re seeing cases - there’s not one city that’s super lucky and one city that’s not, we’re seeing it everywhere," Broderick explained.
Broderick said a lot of COVID-19 cases may be coming from parents who have the virus. That’s why there are various age groups.
“One month, to 22. So we’re seeing it in all ages. My one month old was this summer," Broderick said.
"I have a case where I know that a mom has it and the kids and the family are under age 5 so we’re all just kind of waiting to see whether or not anybody catches it," she said.
The pediatrician explained that the holidays will look different this year, but said it’s up to the community to make sure we are following the health-safety measures.