FORMULA RECALL INFORMATION

We are aware that there has been a recall of several varieties of formula produced in the Abbott Nutrition Facility in Sturgis, MI, recently. 

You can check if your formula has been recalled. 

-The can expires on or after 4/1/22 AND... 

-The first 2 numbers (or the first two numbers after the first letter if your code starts with a letter)  on the code on the bottom starts with 22 through 37 AND... 

-The code contains K8, SH or Z2 within the code itself. 

On 3/1/22 Abbott added Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K80 for cans and 27032k800 for cases to the list of recalled formulas. 

If you have this formula please do not use this for your baby. 

You may contact Abbott directly at  1-800-986-8540 if you are unclear if your formula is involved in this recall. You can also check your lot number directly on the Abbott website at www.similacrecall.com

The recall only affects cans of formula made at a single facility in Sturgis, MI

Substitute the formula as follows:  ***This is not an exhaustive list of possible substitutions

INSTEAD OF SIMILAC ADVANCE, SIMILAC PROADVANCE OR SIMILAC 360 YOU CAN USE:  ENFAMIL, ENFAMIL NEUROPRO, ENFAMIL ENSPIRE, GERBER GOODSTART, TARGET ADVANTAGE OR WALMART PARENT'S CHOICE

INSTEAD OF SIMILAC TOTAL COMFORT SUBSTITUTE WITH ENFAMIL GENTLEEASE, GERBER GOODSTARTE SOOTHE, TARGET GENTLE OR PARENT'S CHOICE GENTLE

INSTEAD OF SIMILAC FOR SPIT UP SUBSTITUTE WITH ENFAMIL AR, TARGET UP&UP ADDED RICE STARCH, OR WALMART PARENT'S CHOICE ADDED RICE

INSTEAD OF ALIMENTUM SUBSTITUTE WTIH NUTRAMAGEN, GERBER GOODSTART EXTENSIVE HA, TARGET UP&UP HYPOALLERGENIC, OR WALMART HYPOALLERGENIC

INSTEAD OF ELECARE, SUBSTITUTE WTIH ENFAMIL PURAMINO FORMULA, NESTLE ALFAMINO FORMULA OR NEOCATE FORMULA 

If your child has been exposed to one of the recalled formulas, monitor them at home and call the office if they develop fever, vomiting/diarrhea, difficulty feeding, difficulty breathing, significant and unusual fussiness, jaundice or any other concerns. If your baby does not have any symptoms, please continue to monitor them closely at home and call if there is any change. 

COVID-19 Information

If you or your child has symptoms and requires a test, please assume at this time that they are very likely to have COVID-19 and it would be prudent to behave as such until testing is completed. Please stay home and away from others for fever, cough, congestion, sore throat, runny nose, headaches, body aches, chills, unusual fatigue,  vomiting or diarrhea. Not only could any of these symptoms be COVID-19 but even if they are not, infecting others with viral illnesses would then require them to find testing as well to return to their schools and places of work. The recommendation to stay home and get tested if you are not feeling well cannot be under-emphasized. 

If you have done a home test that is positive, and you or your child have symptoms or have been exposed, please consider this a positive test. No backup PCR testing is required. 

OFFICE VISITS: We are fully open and seeing patients in person in our office for any worrisome symptoms.  If your child has mild symptoms, please keep them home, plan for testing and monitor them closely. If your child is having any worrisome symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, signs of dehydration, overly irritable or overly lethargic, or other concerning symptoms, please call our office to plan a visit for your child. If they have minor symptoms and have fever that resolves in 3-4 days but are breathing comfortably, are hydrated and are acting reasonably well, especially when their temperature is down, then they can likely be monitored at home. If you are concerned about how your child is acting please call our office. If your child's fever lasts more than 4 days or you are worried about how they are acting or symptoms are worrisome to you, please call to schedule a visit. If there are any acute concerns such as difficulty breathing or difficulty arousing your child or other more serious symptoms, please seek emergency care, call 911 if needed or call our office for an in-person visit. 

CDC updates on 12/28/21 suggested leaving isolation after 5 days with day 0 being the day of the positive test or the first day of symptoms as long as your symptoms are improved at the end of the 5 days and you are fever free for at least 24 hours. 

      IF YOU HAVE A POSITIVE TEST with ANY vaccine status:

                       -Isolate=Stay HOME for 5 days minimum if applicable to your situation, longer if still feeling sick or running a fever. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the day of the positive test. 

                       -After 5 days (the 6th day) you may leave your house IF you are feeling well, have no fever(without any medication) AND YOU CONTINUE TO MASK PROPERLY WITH A WELL-                    FITTING MASK when around others for another 5 days. This mandate remains even if your school district is making masks optional. It does not apply to active cases of COVID-19 and those eligible to return to school on day 6 must mask through and including day 10. 

                       **If you are immunocompromised, please talk with your physician about possibly                                needing longer isolation

      IF YOU HAVE EXPOSURE TO COVID-19: 

               -If you are FULLY VACCINATED (which means you have had recent booster, completed your 2 dose Moderna or Pfizer within the last 6 months, or had J&J vaccine in the last 2 months or have a booster) AND YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS—meaning no cough, cold, sore throat, fever, feeling ill, THEN YOU MAY:

                         -Wear a mask around others at all times for the next 10 days

                         -Test on day 3-5 to determine if you are an asymptomatic carrier (see above if you                                 test positive) Home tests are considered acceptable at this time in most cases, but please check with your employer or school to confirm that this is acceptable for their policies. 

               If you are NOT fully vaccinated  then you must:

               -Quarantine at home for 5 days (10 days for students and school staff who cannot mask effectively)  followed by 5 days of STRICT mask use (proper use,  proper fit, proper wearing at all times when with other people). Please note some schools/daycare settings are keeping the 10 day guidance. 

               -Test at day 2-5 post-exposure. Home tests performed properly are acceptable in many cases, please check with employers and schools to confirm what tests are acceptable to them. 

**TESTING**    Covid testing can be scheduled in several ways. You may call the Yale COVID Hotline 203 688-3355, or you may use the Yale portal covidtesting2.ynhhs.org and results would be available on MyChart. 

If your child is sick enough to warrant a visit in our office we have limited capacity to do testing in our office. However, we are trying to minimize office visits for children with very mild symptoms to avoid exposing other children and our staff.  You do not need to contact our office to schedule a test through a testing center but please forward test results to our office if they are done outside the Yale system. We cannot provide return to school notes without legitimate documentation of the test results. 

You are able to schedule testing for your family members in the above ways and also at some local pharmacies as well. Our office is able to order tests for your children but you must still contact the hotline or go on the Yale scheduling portal to schedule the test. **Our office has NO ability to create or adjust test times. Wait times for testing has been significant with the surge of Delta and Omicron variants**  

TRAVEL testing:   If you require testing for travel you will need to contact the testing center well ahead of time to ensure that your travel testing can be completed in the time frame needed. There are no guaranteed "turn-around" times for results but most often results are posted in 24-36 hours. Travel testing will NOT be done through our office. 

       Omicron variants are now widespread in CT and throughout the country. The unvaccinated remain at highest risk of hospitalization and serious illness and death. However, with many still not having obtained their booster doses and many young children are still not eligible for vaccine or are currently unvaccinated, the potential for widespread illness in the post-holiday season is quite high. Local hospitals are quite full and they expect that the need for hospital beds may be quite challenging in the upcoming weeks. We strongly encourage vaccinating anyone who is eligible and not yet vaccinated,  boosting those eligible,  and to consider avoiding larger crowds and large indoor gatherings.  Spaces with good ventilation, open windows or outdoors are safer than indoor gatherings.  If you are not feeling well please do not participate in gatherings and please get tested. Even very mild symptoms such as sore throat, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, congestion and runny nose can be early symptoms of COVID-19 and one can be quite able to spread virus to vulnerable individuals, even with minimal symptoms. 

 ***COVID and FLU VACCINE***

We strongly urge families to schedule a COVID vaccine for all children age 5 and up. There has been a significant increase in pediatric and adolescent cases over the last few months.  Flu shots and COVID vaccinations are the best way to protect our children, our loved ones and our community especially during family gatherings. Flu shots are recommended age 6 months and over. COVID vaccine is recommended for age 5 and over. All adolescents age 12 and over are eligible for a COVID vaccine booster. The newer variants are causing breakthrough infections more often in those not yet boosted. If it has been 6 months since your child's second dose of vaccine, please consider getting a booster vaccine. Vaccines and boosters  are available at most chain pharmacies, some local pharmacies, most grocery store pharmacies, health departments,  hospital-based vaccine clinics and some school vaccine clinics.  Additional sites are available on covidvaccinefinder.ct.gov  as well.  The CT Department of health also has many clinics, some are walk-in available.

The COVID vaccine clinics were a big success here at CAHC. Several hundred 5-11 year old children were fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, we do not have further doses and it is not clear when we may be able to secure further doses. We will update you by email and on our website should more vaccine be available. Meanwhile please access the vaccine centers at the CT vaccine finder website. 

FLU VACCINE IS STILL AVAILABLE AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. We have no more flu clinics planned but individual families can contact our office to schedule vaccine if they are still needed. 

    WE WISH ALL OF OUR CAHC FRIENDS AND FAMILIES A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!