Paediatric

Treatment of symptomatic hospital onset COVID-19

All cases need to be discussed with paediatric ID team.

Consider treating under the following conditions:

  • Hospitalised for indications other than for the management of acute symptoms of COVID-19, AND
  • Onset of symptoms of COVID-19 within the last 5 days (for sotrovimab) or 7 days (for remdesivir), remains symptomatic and with no signs of clinical recovery, AND
  • SARS-CoV-2 infection is confirmed by either PCR or lateral flow test, AND
  • The patient is a member of the 'highest' risk group (as defined in the Department of Health and Social Care commissioned Independent Advisory Group report) OR COVID-19 infection presents a material risk of destabilising a pre-existing condition or compromising recovery from a procedure (as determined by MDT assessment), AND
  • The patient is NOT requiring new supplementary oxygen specifically for the management of COVID-19 symptoms

Refer to the Treatment of COVID-19 in patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 for patients who deteriorate and require hospital-based care and/or supplemental oxygen for the management of COVID-19 symptoms.

Preferred: Remdesivir

Remdesivir 

Inclusion criteria:

  • paediatric patients weighing at least 40 kgs

AND

  • symptom onset within 7 days.

Exclusion criteria:

  • ALT 5 times or more the upper limit of normal
  • eGFR less than 30ml/min (except in patients with end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis)
  • Paediatric patients weighing less than 40kgs
  • Require hospital-level care for the management of acute COVID-19 illness
  • New supplemental oxygen requirement specifically for the management of COVID-19 symptoms
  • Known hypersensitivity reaction to the active substances or to any of the excipients in the Summary of Product Characteristics for remdesivir

Dosing:

Patients at least 40 kg:

Day 1: 200mg remdesivir as a single dose iv

Day 2 onwards: 100mg remdesivir iv OD for 2 days

Total duration of treatment is 3 days.

Remdesivir should be discontinued in patients who develop any of the following:

  • ALT 5 times or more the upper limit of normal during treatment with remdesivir (remdesivir may be restarted when ALT is less than 5 times the upper limit of normal)
  • ALT elevation accompanied by signs or symptoms of liver inflammation or increasing conjugated bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, or international normalised ratio (INR).

Alternative: Sotrovimab

Discuss with Paediatric Infectious Diseases team. 

Inclusion criteria:

  • paediatric patients aged 12 years and over AND weighing at least 40 kgs

AND

  • symptom onset within 5 days

Exclusion criteria:

  • require hospital-level care for the management of acute COVID-19 illness
  • new supplemental oxygen requirement specifically for the management of COVID-19 symptoms
  • children aged less than 12 years
  • adolescents (aged 12-17 years) weighing less than 40kg
  • known hypersensitivity reaction to the active substances or to any of the excipients of the products as listed in the respective Summary of product characteristics.

Dosing:

Child 12–17 years (body-weight 40 kg and above): 500mg iv once only as an infusion

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 16 Dec 2022