PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kazuaki Sano
AU  - Masaki Nakamura
AU  - Hideki Ninomiya
AU  - Yasuki Kobayashi
AU  - Atsushi Miyawaki
TI  - Large decrease in paediatric hospitalisations during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan
AID  - 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-001013
DP  - 2021 Mar 01
TA  - BMJ Paediatrics Open
PG  - e001013
VI  - 5
IP  - 1
4099  - http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001013.short
4100  - http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001013.full
SO  - BMJ Paediatrics Open2021 Mar 01; 5
AB  - We evaluated the nationwide trends in paediatric hospitalisations including non-emergency hospitalisations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Using inpatient data from 272 acute-care hospitals covering 12.4% of total hospitalisations of all ages, we analysed the number of hospitalisations of children (aged 1–17 years) for weeks 9–21 of 2020 (during the outbreak) versus 2017–2019. Hospitalisation decreased during the outbreak by 38.4% (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.69). There were reductions in communicable diseases and trauma, possibly through non-pharmaceutical interventions, but not in appendicitis. This study highlights the potential importance of reallocating paediatric care resources during the pandemic.