Jeff Pavell, DO, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician
As the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe in 2020, physicians poured time and effort into research that would help our nation, and others, navigate living in a world with coronavirus. Jeff Pavell, DO, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Englewood Health, contributed to a federal study with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, analyzing preventive measures taken at four summer camps in Maine to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Multiple layers of mitigation used included testing, masking, social distancing, limiting high-risk activities, using outdoor facilities as often as possible, and creating a culture in which hygiene became commonplace. These practices not only created a safe space for youth to learn and interact even in these high-stress times, but also resulted in important takeaways for emerging from quarantine and safely returning to schools and workplaces, while minimizing risk. “By using multiple layers of mitigation, you can reduce the spread,” said Dr. Pavell, “and, should someone contract the virus, internal contact tracing allows you to say who needs to be isolated right away. It’s about knowing what the protocols are and then normalizing them so they become habitualized.”
Read the full study, “Preventing and Mitigating SARS-CoV-2 Transmission — Four Overnight Camps, Maine, June — “August 2020,” on the CDC website.
Given the quickly evolving nature of our understanding of COVID-19, parents and school systems should always consult their local health department for the most current guidance on the safety of activities involving children.
Posted on September 5, 2020
Jeff Pavell, DO, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician