Welcome to Maternal & Child Health’s
Adolescent Health website.
Texans can dial 2-1-1 (option 6) for information on
COVID-19 and local community resources on health care, utilities, food, housing
and more. Wait times are currently higher than normal. Visit Health and Human
Services for More COVID-19 information. The Texas Department of
State Health Services (DSHS) is working closely with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) in monitoring the new coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID‑19) that is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness worldwide. Visit
our website to learn more
Sickle Cell Disorders and COVID-19: Why My Child Needs a COVID-19 Vaccine
The Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) Newborn Screening Program created a fact sheet to answer frequently asked questions about vaccinating children and adolescents with sickle cell disorders to protect them against COVID-19.
You can download the fact sheet from the link below.
Sickle cell disease includes a group of related disorders that affect a person's red blood cells. It is caused by a change in the genes that make hemoglobin which is the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease are more likely to become seriously ill. They could get hospitalized or die from COVID-19. It's important for adults to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect children too young to get vaccinated.
For general COVID-19 information, visit the DSHS coronavirus webpage. For more information about newborn screening, visit the newborn screening webpage.
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
You may have heard about “social distancing”. This can be a
hard concept for young adolescents to understand. “Social distancing” is a term applied to certain infection
control actions that should slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease.
Officials want people to reduce the amount of contact with others to reduce the
chance of spreading the disease.
Helpful tips:
Avoid close contact with others.
Whether you’re at work, at a store or anywhere else,
practice social distancing. Keep at least 6 feet of distance between yourself
and others. Remember that some people without symptoms can be infected and
spread the virus.
Wash your hands often.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20
seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer
containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and
mouth.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the
tissue in the trash and wash your hands afterward.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
The virus may live on different surfaces for different
lengths of time. Clean frequently touched surfaces.
When to stay home.
- Stay home if you have had known contact with
someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or you feel sick.
- Stay home if you have been diagnosed with
COVID-19 even if you don’t feel sick.
Up-to-date information.
For timely and helpful information about COVID-19, please
follow @TexasDSHS on social media. Refer family and friends to dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus.
Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
For information
and resources about COVID-19 and adolescent health, please visit the following
links:
COVID-19
Information
For more
information about Maternal and Child Health or adolescent health in Texas,
please contact us at:
Texas Department of State Health Services
Maternal & Child Health
PO Box 149347, Mail Code 1922
Austin, TX 78714-9347
(512) 776-7373: Phone
(512) 458-7658: Fax
TitleV@dshs.texas.gov
External links
to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement
of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These external links may not
be accessible to persons with disabilities.