What parents should know about parechovirus in children, babies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health advisory, asking clinicians and public health departments to be on the lookout for infants with parechovirus infections. This follows reports of infections in newborns and young infants in multiple states.

Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious diseases expert, says while some people may just be hearing about parechovirus, they are a group of viruses that are fairly common in childhood.

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.