Pregnant women in the U.K. have been added to the list of those required to self isolate for three months to help protect the most vulnerable from the coronavirus.
Starting this weekend people over 70 years old, those with health conditions and now pregnant women will be told they have to stay at home for three months.
U.K. health chiefs have added expectant mothers to the list of those most at risk from the virus for the first time and the announcement has attracted a mixed response, mainly by people questioning how a pregnant woman is able to self isolate.
Making the announcement U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said everyone should avoid offices, pubs and non-essential travel.
It’s not yet known whether COVID-19 poses a greater threat to pregnant women and the move was said to be a precautionary measure.
According to a report published by Harvard Medical School: “At this point, experts think that pregnant women are just as likely, or possibly more likely, than the general public to develop symptoms if infected with the new coronavirus.”
Risk of passing it to the fetus ‘very low’
The report by infectious disease specialist Dr. Babar Memon and his wife obstetrician/gynecologist Dr Huma Farid also says: “The risk of passing the infection to the fetus appears to be very low, and there is no evidence of any fetal malformations or effects due to maternal infection with COVID-19.”
Many have questioned how a pregnant woman is supposed to stay indoors when they have doctor’s appointments every few weeks.
Another asked: “How does this isolation work when you have hospital appointments every two weeks? Gov simply not providing key details. It’s not good enough.”
While another questioned why pregnant women had to stay at home while schools remain open in the U.K.
Precautionary measure
England’s chief medical doctor Professor Chris Whitty said extending the advice to pregnant women was a precaution “because we are early in our understanding and we want to be sure.”
The news comes as a newborn baby in London became the youngest coronavirus victim in the world. It is not yet known if the baby contracted the virus in the womb or during labor.
More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus in the U.K. – but the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000, according to the BBC.
U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the number of people who have died with the virus in England had risen to 53 and “the disease is now accelerating”.
We all need to be practicing social distancing, we’ve seen what this virus does in countries which didn’t do this sooner, we must be cautious.
Wash your hands and stay safe! Please share.
