>> WELCOME TO AT ISSUE.

I'M H. WAYNE WILSON.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THE PROGRAM.

COVID-19 IS AN EVER CHANGING CANVAS AND WE HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU FROM THREE PROFESSIONALS WHO DEAL WITH COVID-19 ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND MONICA HENDRICKSON IS HERE.

YOU MAY KNOW HER, SHE IS THE ADMINISTRATOR AT THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> ALSO WITH US IS NORA PHILBIN.

SHE IS AT UNITY POINT NORTH WHERE SHE IS A PEDIATRICIAN AND ALSO WITH US IS DR. KYLE BOERKE.

HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AMBULATORY SERVICES.

THE UPDATE FIRST AND WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING VACCINES, ET CETERA, BUT FIRST, THE NUMBERS, MONICA.

WHERE ARE WE?

>> CURRENTLY IN PEORIA COUNTY TO DATE 27,000 CASES AND THE NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW.

LIKE WISE, WE DO SEE A GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS.

SO RIGHT NOW 53% OF OUR COUNTY IS CONSIDERED FULLY VACCINATED WHICH IS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE STATE WHICH IS AT 57%.

AND JUST LAST WEEK, ABOUT 1,100 11-YEAR-OLDS GOT THEIR FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.

>> WHEN YOU SAY 57% IS THAT ADULTS OR THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

>> THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

>> 53% SEEMS NOT QUITE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH.

WHERE DO WE NEED TO BE AND HOW MIGHT WE GET THERE?

>> IT IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF A MIX.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH THE VACCINATION NUMBER HIGHER.

THE CDC CAME OUT AND SHOWED A REALLY ROBUST STUDY THAT VACCINATION BASED IMMUNITY IS MUCH STRONGER AND LONGER LASTING THAN GETTING IT NATURALLY.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS SOME NATURAL IMMUNITY ONCE YOU HAVE HAD COVID-19 SO IT IS A BALANCE THING.

WE WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO GET VACCINATED.

>> BEFORE WE GET INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE PEDIATRIC ARENA, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VACCINE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED IT.

CHILDREN 5 TO 11 NOW CAN GET A VACCINE.

WHAT TYPE OF VACCINE, HOW MANY DOSES, AND IS IT AVAILABLE?

>> SO RIGHT NOW THE ONLY VACCINE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THAT AGE RANGE IS THE PFIZER PEDIATRIC VACCINE.

IT'S SMALLER DOSING THAN THE ADULT VERSION BUT IT'S STILL THE AREAS THAT YOU'D WAIT 21 TO 3 WEEKS APART AND THEN TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERED FULLY VACCINATED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, IT WAS READY AVAILABLE RATHER QUICKLY SO IT WAS APPROVED BY THE CDC WITH ALL THE GUIDANCE AFTER THE FDA PROCESS AS WELL.

IT WAS ALMOST PRERELEASED SO YOU CAN GO TO YOUR PEDIATRICIANS OFFICES, BOTH OF OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS HAVE DONE CLINICS.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SITES AVAILABLE AND EVEN OUR LOCAL PHARMACIES WHETHER IT'S A WALL GREENS OR A CVS ALL HAVE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.

>> A NATIONAL STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS LEAD TO WHAT ARE CALLED DISORDERED EATING AND THAT INCLUDES BINGE EATING.

HAVE YOU SEEN THAT ON A LOCAL LEVEL?

>> YES, I HAVE.

IT WAS PRETTY SURPRISING WHEN WE STARTED HAVING CHILDREN COME BACK IN FOR THEIR WELL VISITS AFTER THE SHUTDOWNS TO NOTICE HOW MUCH THE BMIs HAD INCREASED, EVEN IN KIDS WHO HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY A NORMAL WEIGHT, NORMAL BMI.

WE SAW A BIG INCREASE IN BMI.

KIDS WERE STUCK AT HOME.

THEY WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING.

THEY WEREN'T DOING THEIR SPORTS.

THEY WEREN'T AT SCHOOL.

THEY WEREN'T HAVING RECESS.

THEY WEREN'T HAVING GYM AND EVERYBODY IS STUCK AT HOME EATING BASICALLY.

STRESS AND CONSTANT AVAILABILITY TO FOOD AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HAVE SEEN.

>> MAYBE THEIR THUMBS WERE IN GOOD SHAPE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO WE'VE HEARD ABOUT LONG HAUL COVID SYMPTOMS, DOES THAT APPLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL?

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

I DEFINITELY STARTED SEEING THAT IN ADOLESCENCE INITIALLY.

KIDS THAT WERE HEALTHY ATHLETES GOT COVID AND HAD VERY LONG-TERM FATIGUE, LACK OF EXERCISE TOLERANCE, MOOD DISRUPTION, OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A LONG TIME, REALLY HAVING A HARD TIME BOUNCING BACK, EVEN KIDS THAT WERE REALLY HEALTHY.

>> THERE'S A EUROPEAN CENTER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, IF I MAY SITE THAT STUDY, THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN DON'T DEVELOP SYMPTOMS WHEN INFECTED WITH CORONAVIRUS OR THEIR SYMPTOMS ARE MILD BUT A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC CONDITIONS EXPERIENCE LONG-TERM EFFECTS MANY MONTHS AFTERWARD.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND HOW LONG IS LONG HAUL?

>> I WOULD SAY 2 TO 3 MONTHS IS WHAT I'M SEEING.

SO KIDS THAT WERE REALLY NOT VERY SICK, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING.

SO THEY HAD SORT OF A MILD ILLNESS BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO LINGER.

THEY HAVE TERRIBLE FATIGUE.

REALLY HARD TIME GETTING BACK TO NORMAL LIFE, TO EXERCISE, TO SCHOOL, TO THINGS THAT THEY USED TO BE DOING.

>> FALL OUT OF A ROUTINE?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO IT WAS JUST REALLY DIFFICULT FOR SOME KIDS TO BOUNCE BACK EVEN WHEN THEY WEREN'T THAT SICK INITIALLY.

AND THEN THE OTHER CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE IS WITH KIDS THAT WERE EVEN ASYMPTOMATIC CAN DEVELOP THE MULTIINFLAMMATORY SYSTEMS AND SYSTEM DISORDER IN KIDS.

THAT CAN EFFECT THE BRAIN, THE HEART, THE LUNGS, A VERY SERIOUS ILLNESS AFTER WHAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY MILD INFECTION WITH COVID.

>> IF I MIGHT ADD, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES, A LOT OF HESITANCY IS THAT YOUNG KIDS AREN'T DYING FROM IT.

THEY'RE NOT BEING SEVERELY ILL BUT THE CONVERSATION DOESN'T TALK ABOUT THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS THAT THEY ARE FACING AND THE OTHER RISKS.

AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND EDUCATE PARENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION.

>> MENTAL HEALTH IS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND HOW SEVERE MIGHT IT BE?

>> WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO LONG HAUL COVID THERE'S TWO FACTORS TO CONSIDER.

SO CERTAINLY, IF YOU YOURSELF, THE CHILD HAS LONGHAUL COVID WE'RE SEEING SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION BUT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE SECOND PART WHICH IS PARENTS WHO ARE SUFFERING WITH THE LONG HAUL COVID AS WELL, THAT ALSO HAS AN IMPACT ON THE CHILD.

THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE USED TO.

THEY MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF FEAR OR UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THEIR PARENT.

>> SO CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION, WHAT SHOULD A PARENT OR MAYBE IT'S A CHILD WHO SEES THE CONDITIONS IN THE PARENT OR A FRIEND, WHAT SHOULD THEY BE LOOKING FOR AND THEN WHAT SHOULD THEY DO.

>> FROM THE PEDIATRIC PERSPECTIVE, ANY TIME WE'RE SEEING A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR, A CHANGE IN EMOTIONALITY, ISOLATING THEMSELVES, WITH DRAWING FROM ACTIVITIES, SPORTS, FRIENDS, THOSE ARE OUR WARNING SIGNS AND WHAT I -- I AM RECOMMENDING IS WHAT I'M CALLING THE STEP APPROACH, STEP HAS THREE Ps ON THE END OF IT AND IT HITS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF WHAT WE CAN DO AS PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MENTALLY HEALTHY.

THAT'S WORKING ON OUR SLEEP.

THAT'S THE S. REDUCING OUR TECHNOLOGY.

THAT WAS A HUGE INFLUX.

WE NEED TO START TO REDUCE THAT.

THE E IS EATING, HEALTHY EATING.

THE FIRST P IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT BMI AND THIS IS A PANDEMIC IN AND OF ITSELF AND THEN WE HAVE PARTICIPATION.

WE NEED KIDS AND ADULTS TO BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES.

IF YOU'RE A PARENT, JOIN THAT BOOK CLUB, BIBLE STUDY, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE IF YOU'RE A CHILD OR ADOLESCENT JOIN A CLUB AT SCHOOL AND THE LAST P IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE WHICH IS PROCESS OVER OUTCOME AND I'LL EXPLAIN BRIEFLY BUT WE ARE A VERY ACHIEVEMENT BASED SOCIETY.

YOU HAVE TO GET As.

YOU HAVE TO GET INTO THIS COLLEGE.

YOU HAVE TO DO BEYOND THIS BEST SPORTS TEAM AND EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED ON THE OUTCOMES.

WE REALLY OWE IT TO OUR KIDS AND TO OURSELVES TO FOCUS ON THE PROCESS OF ARE WE DOING OUR BEST AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF OUR ENDEAVOR.

>> BECAUSE YOU WENT OVER THAT, THERE'S SIX STEPS TO STEP.

JUST REAL BRIEFLY, REPEAT THE BASICS OF THAT.

>> SLEEP, IMPROVED SLEEP.

TECHNOLOGY REDUCTIONS.

PROPER EATING.

PROPER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, ENGAGEMENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.

>> STOP PLAYING THE VIDEO GAMES AND IN PARTICULAR I'LL CALL OUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS A HUGE PERPETRATOR OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN OUR ADOLESCENCE.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE BMI.

WE TALKED ABOUT BMI AND I WANT TO SHOW SOME NUMBERS HERE, THE CDC, THIS IS A CDC STUDY SHOWING 423,000 CHILDREN IN THE NATION AGE 2 TO 19 THEIR RATE OF BODY MASS INCREASE DOUBLED DURING THE PANDEMIC COMPARED TO PREPANDEMIC.

THAT SOUNDS PRETTY SERIOUS AND I'LL START WITH YOU MONICA IN TERMS OF AND DR. BOERKE MENTIONED, THE BMI SOUNDS VERY SERIOUS AND THE CDC SAID IT DOUBLED.

>> I THINK IT IS SOMETHING OF HIGH CONCERN.

ALREADY WE KNEW BODY MASS INDEX OR WEIGHT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN FACT WHEN WE DO OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT IT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.

2-THIRDS OF THE POPULATION ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE EFFECTS OR CONSEQUENCES THAT WE SAW OF COVID ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES, CHILDREN BEING LEFT BEHIND IN SCHOOL.

ALL OF THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL TAKE TIME TO HOPEFULLY OVERCOME.

IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER JOURNEY WE WILL BE WALKING THROUGH.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOSTERS BOOSTERS.

IT LOOKS LIKE ALL ADULTS 18 PLUS WILL BE ABLE TO GT A BOOSTER HERE SOON ASSUMING AVAILABILITY.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

WHERE MIGHT THEY GO?

DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFER THAT?

>> SO FIRST OF ALL, WHERE THEY CAN GO, ANYWHERE.

AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY IN OUR COUNTRY AND ESPECIALLY HERE LOCALLY THAT A LOT OF OUR PROVIDERS AND OUR PHARMACIES AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE BOOSTERS.

ALL THREE OF THEM.

VACCINATIONS ARE OUR ABILITY TO START CREATING THESE PROTECTIVE LAYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BRING THAT HERD IMMUNITY AS WE CALL IT AND ESPECIALLY THE CASE WHERE AGE RANGES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINATIONS AS WELL AS THE DELTA VARIANT WHICH IS STILL NOT AS DEADLY AS OTHER VARIANTS BUT IT SPREADS QUICKLY TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME, REALLY TO, YOU KNOW, CATCH UP TO THIS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE GET A HIGH LEVEL OF IMMUNITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WITH BOOSTERS, SOME OF OUR HIGH RISK POPULATIONS THAT WE ARE VERY EARLY TO VACCINATE BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MORTALITY OR DYING OR SEVERE ILLNESS MORBIDITY, THEIR IMMUNITY STARTS WANING WHICH IS NATURALLY VACCINATION.

THAT DOES HAPPEN.

SO BY GIVING THEM THE BOOSTER WE'RE ONE, REPROTECTING THEM, BRINGING THEM UP A LAYER BUT ALSO GIVING A FIGHTING CHANCE TO ALL THE INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE WORKING.

SUCH AS KNEWLY RELEASED VACCINATIONS FOR YOUTH AND THE ANTIVIRALS COMING DOWN THE STREAM.

ANYTHING TO CONTROL AND DECREASE HOW QUICKLY WE TRANSMIT THE VIRUS IS GOING TO HELP US IN THE LONG RUN.

>> DR. BOERKE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT -- THIS IS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST.

HAS COVID-19 EFFECTED THEIR INTEREST LEVEL IN BEING INVOLVED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IN THE PAST?

>> I THINK IT HAS.

WE WERE SEEING KIDS EXTREMELY ACTIVITY IN ATHLETICS.

WHATEVER THE SPORT MAY BE AND THEY'RE JUST NOT CHOOSING TO GO OUT FOR THE TEAM.

I CAN LOOK AT SEVERAL PERSONAL EXAMPLES.

I HELPED COACH FOR A SWIM TEAM OVER THE YEARS AND THE NUMBERS OF OUR ENROLLMENT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DOWN.

SOME CHOSE NOT TO GO OUT FOR THEIR SPORT THIS YEAR AND SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT I WOULD CALL THAT ISOLATING YOURSELF WHICH CAN BE A WARNING SIGN FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

>> AND THE SAME QUESTION IN TERMS OF ISOLATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY PREPANDEMIC WOULD HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN ANY NUMBER OF INTERESTS.

>> DEFINITELY.

SO I HAVE PARENTS TELL ME WHEN THEY COME IN, WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ARE YOU DOING THIS YEAR?

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HELD OFF, WE'RE NOT SURE YET.

WE'RE NOT READY YET.

WE'RE NOT READY TO GET BACK INTO PARTICIPATION.

EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE VACCINE IS SO EXCITING, RIGHT?

THIS WILL GIVE YOUR KIDS THE PROTECTION THEY NEED AND TO BE CONFIDENT AND BE INVOLVED ON THE TEAM AND SPORTS AND THEATER AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE.

>> BACK TO YOU DR. BOERKE BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OF THIS.

YOU MENTIONED THE ANXIETY, YOU MENTIONED DEPRESSION.

THOSE ARE THE MOST COMMON.

ARE THERE OTHER ISSUES WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR?

IT'S STAGGERING QUITE HONESTLY.

JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THE 2020 STATISTICS WERE PUT OUT AND THE MORTALITY RATE FROM SUICIDE REDUCED.

WHICH AT FIRST GLANCE WOULD MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD THING BUT IF YOU DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE TROUBLING THAN IT APPEARS.

THE SUICIDE RATE FOR 35 AND OVER CERTAINLY DID DECLINE SUBSTANTIALLY BUT 34 AND UNDER AND IN PARTICULAR THAT 12 TO 17 AGE RANGE, THOSE NUMBERS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.

SO 13% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR MAY BE MORE TROUBLING AND MAYBE THE MOST CONCERNING IS THERE WAS OVER A 300% INCREASE IN SELF-HARM AND SELF-INJURY.

>> DR. PHILBIN, YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THAT REALM?

HAVE YOU SEEN YOUNG PEOPLE COMING INTO YOUR OFFICE AND MAYBE THE PARENT IS THE ONE DELIVERING A MESSAGE.

>> DEFINITELY SEEN AN INCREASE UNFORTUNATELY WITH JUST KIDS THAT ARE STRUGGLING NOW.

THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEIR MOODS, THEY STRUGGLE IN SCHOOL.

THEY DIDN'T USED TO SO WE'RE DEFINITELY SEEING THAT THROUGHOUT THE PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT POPULATION.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOOSTER SHOT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT PILLS.

PFIZER, AND OTHERS, HAVE PILLS THAT ARE ON THE MARKET OR SOON TO BE ON THE MARKET.

HOW MUCH VALUE DO THEY BRING?

>> THIS IS A GAME CHANGER.

THE PILLS ARE SIMILAR TO TAMIFLU WHICH IS THE BRAND USED FOR INFLUENZA.

IF YOU'RE DIAGNOSED EARLY ENOUGH WITH COVID-19, YOU CAN TAKE EITHER THESE TWO BRANDS COMING THROUGH THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.

IT DECREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF YOU NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED AS WELL AS HAVING A SEVERE ILLNESS SO REALLY DECREASING THE STRESS ON THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND DECREASING THE STRESS ON THE INDIVIDUAL, REALLY MAKING THIS, MOVING IT TOWARD THE IDEA OF THE PROCESS.

I WILL JUST SAY THOUGH TO THE POINT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS, EVEN THOUGH THE ANTIVIRALS WILL HELP THEM FROM A SEVERE CASE ISSUE, THERE'S STILL THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL HAVE LONG HAULER AND THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THAT IS NOT GETTING COVID IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE WHERE VACCINATIONS STEP IN.

SO AS MUCH AS THE PILLS ARE GOING TO BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF CAPACITY, AS WELL AS MAKING, IN TERMS OF MORTALITY, WE STILL WANT TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT CONCERN PEOPLE IS I JUST HAVE A COLD AND BY THE TIME THEY REALIZE IT'S COVID-19 IT'S TOO LATE TO USE THE PILL.

>> IN SOME SCENARIOS YOU HAVE TO GET DIAGNOSED.

THE EARLIER YOU GET DIAGNOSED THE MORE EFFECTIVE THE PILL IS.

THAT'S WHY ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND WE SAW IT LAST YEAR WHERE PEOPLE TEND TO WRITE OFF SYMPTOMS AS EITHER ALLERGIES, COMMON COLD, EVEN INFLUENZA AND SELF-MEDICATE AT HOME AND THEN THEY REALIZE THAT THIS IS SLIGHTSLIGHTET SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND THEN THEY GET THEIR COVID TESTS.

WHEN YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SCENARIO WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, GET TESTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE ONE, WITH THE MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE, EVEN ANTIBIOTICS AVAILABLE.

YOU CAN SPREAD IT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

>> THE SAME ADVICE WITH REGARD TO YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> DEFINITELY SEEING THAT.

OH, HE HAS ALLERGIES.

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT.

YOU DON'T KNOW IT'S ALLERGIES.

IT COULD BE COVID, RIGHT?

THERE'S LOTS OF VIRUSS AROUND AT THE MOMENT.

ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT YOU HAVE IT CAN BE COVID.

I THINK PEOPLE GET, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CONCERNED LIKE OH GOD I ALWAYS HAVE TO BE TESTED FOR COVID.

UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT IS TO GET TESTED.

THE TESTS ARE EVERYWHERE.

IT'S VERY EASY NOW NO TO GET TESTED.

THE RESULTS ARE COMING BACK FAIRLY QUICKLY.

SO YES PLEASE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL PLEASE JUST GET TESTED.

>> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE OUT OF FEAR.

IT CAN'T BE COVID CAN IT?

BUT SOMETIMES IT'S MISINFORMATION.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE MISINFORMATION THAT PEOPLE ARE ACCESSING PRIMARILY OFF THE WORLDWIDE WEB BUT WORD OF MOUTH.

>> I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN TWOFOLD.

ONE AGAINST THE VIRUS ITSELF AND THE OTHER AGAINST MISINFORMATION.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA, NOT ONLY IS IT A GREAT INCUBATION FOR MISINFORMATION BUT IT CAN HELP SPREAD IT VERY QUICKLY AND RIGHT NOW I THINK WE SEE A LOT OF CONCERNS BECAUSE WITH THE AVAILABILITY FOR 5 THROUGH 11-YEAR-OLD THERE'S A LOT OF PARENTS TRYING TO BALANCE SHOULD THEY GET THEIR KID VACCINATED?

RECOGNIZING THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE A HIGH MORTALITY OR DEATH RATE AND THEY MAY NOT BE HOSPITALIZED BUT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LONG HAULERS SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB.

IF THAT'S YOUR FIRST INITIAL -- DON'T LOOK AT ME BUT I DO GOOGLE SYMPTOMS SOMETIMES FOR MYSELF ON THERE BUT IF YOU DO THAT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RELIABLE RESOURCES.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SHARE ME A LINK AND SAY DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?

AND I CAN CLICK TWICE AND SAY THIS IS EITHER A POLITICAL ACTION GROUP, THIS IS NOT -- THEY THINK IT IS A CDC BUT IT'S NOT DOT GOV.

IT'S NOT A RELIABLE SOURCE SO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK.

>> SO WEB MD, CDC.

>> THOSE ARE RELIABLE RESOURCES AND THEN SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE.

TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.

THEY CAN WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT IT MEANS AND THEY CAN GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT LONG HAULERS LOOK LIKE.

ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN.

YOUR KID IS GOING TO HAVE A HIGH FATIGUE.

NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THEIR KID TIRED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

A VACCINATION CAN HELP.

>> CALL YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.

>> YOUR FAMILY PRACTICE DOC, YOUR PEDIATRICIAN, SOMEBODY IN THE MEDICAL FIELD THAT YOU TRUST TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, TELL THEM YOUR CONCERNS.

WHAT YOU HAVE READ, WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD.

HEALTHY CHILDREN.ORG.

IT'S GREAT.

IT'S GREAT VIDEOS AND ARTICLES AND IT GIVES YOU INFORMATION THAT IS ACCURATE AND WILL HELP YOU PROTECT YOUR CHILD.

>> HEALTHY CHILDREN.ORG.

>> HEALTHY CHILDREN.ORG THROUGH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS.

>> AND DR. BOERKE.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ACCESS, YOU KNOW, YOUR PEDIATRICIAN, YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR, ET CETERA, BUT IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS THAT IF I SUSPECT I'VE GOT A CHILD WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OR A FRIEND WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, AND THEY CALL UP AND THEY SAY, SORRY IT'S GOING TO BE THREE MONTHS BEFORE YOU CAN SEE SOMEBODY.

>> QUITE HONESTLY YES WE DO.

IT'S NOT JUST CENTRAL, ILLINOIS.

THIS IS NATIONWIDE.

WE HAVE A HEALTH CARE STAFFING SHORTAGE AS A NATION RIGHT NOW.

WHETHER IT'S PHYSICIANS, RNs OR EXTENDING INTO THE MENTAL FIELD.

WE ARE EXTREMELY BLESSED HERE IN PEORIA THAT WHILE GOING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THEMSELVES WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS THAT ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND EVERY DAY FOR THEIR PATIENTS.

I WILL MIMIC WHAT BOTH HAD SAID ABOUT YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, THAT GOES FOR IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS FOR YOUR CHILD AS WELL.

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN IS A GREAT PLACE TO START WITHIN OSF.

WE DO HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS THAT ARE IMBEDDED WITHIN THE PRIMARY CARE OFFICES.

SO IF YOU CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN TO SEE SOMEBODY MOST LIKELY SOONER THAN IF YOU ARE JUST CALLING AROUND ELSEWHERE.

>> IN SOME PLACES WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES.

WE THINK THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.

I'M A MOTHER TO TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.

THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR FIRST DOSE OF VACCINE.

I WILL SAY, I WAS TEARY EYED BECAUSE I FINALLY COULD TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREATH.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN THIS ANXIETY.

JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH AND GO THROUGH THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS TO GET YOUR VACCINE.

>> AND WITH THAT OUR HALF HOUR IS GONE.

JUST LIKE THAT.

MONICA HENDRICKSON THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> DR. PHILBIN IS A PEDIATRICIAN AT THE UNITY POINT CLINIC METHODIST NORTH.

AND ALSO DR. BOERKE, DR. KYLE BOERKE IS THE DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON AT ISSUE.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT TIME WITH ANOTHER ADDITION OF AT ISSUE.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THAT CONVERSATION ON THE NEXT AT ISSUE.