Return to School – Daycare Authorization Policy During COVID-19 Crisis

During these difficult times, we are closely monitoring CDC and the AAP recommendations for children and school/daycare attendance. We support your efforts in working towards the goal of keeping children in physical schooling programs, while trying to keep them safe.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of COVID-19 are the same as so many of the very common childhood illnesses, including, but not limited to the following: cold symptoms, cough, fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, achiness, and poor energy.

The CDC advises that parents keep children with signs of illness at home. For further guidance on how long sick individuals who may have COVID-19 but have not been tested, or who have tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home, visit “When You Can be Around Others” on the CDC website.

We strongly urge you and your organization to avoid advising families to call our office or schedule appointments for the purpose of authorization to return to school or daycare.

Center City Pediatrics WILL NOT be able to authorize return to school or daycare, under any circumstance, apart from adherence to the above guidelines. Even if a child has an identifiable source of their symptoms, this does NOT eliminate the possibility of simultaneous COVID-19.

We are NOT routinely testing for COVID-19 in our office. We are referring to the following sites for testing, which may take up to a week for results processing:

CHOP Urgent Care:

Urgent Care, Brandywine Valley

819 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342
Phone: 267-425-8500

Urgent Care, Bucks County

500 W. Butler Ave., Chalfont, PA 18914
Phone: 215-997-5730

Urgent Care, Haverford

663 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: 610-519-1275

Urgent Care, King of Prussia

550 S. Goddard Blvd, King of Prussia, PA 19406
King of Prussia Specialty Care Center
Phone: 610-337-3232

PM Pediatrics:

Urgent Care Cherry Hill

Address: 828 Haddonfield Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Phone: (856) 663-5437

Urgent Care Wynnewood

Address: 260 E Lancaster Ave, Wynnewood, PA 19096
Phone: (610) 947-5437

Urgent Care Abington

Address: Towne Center, 1495 Old York Rd, Abington, PA 19001
Phone: (267) 730-6767

Center City Pediatrics remains committed to promoting the health and well-being of all children. We welcome collaboration with you and your organization to optimize this goal in meaningful and effective ways. Please feel free to contact us regarding questions you may have about your policies and protocols. With proper consent we also welcome sharing thoughts on children for whom we jointly care.

Thank you for the important work you are doing.

The Center City Pediatrics Team