Should Pregnant Women Go On Self-Isolation To Prevent Having A Coronavirus Infection?

From just a handful of cases, coronavirus infections in the UK have reached 1,543 with 55 fatalities and another 20 classified as is a serious condition. Other countries are in much worse shape, with Italy seeing a rapid rise in both infections and deaths at 27,980 and 2,158, respectively. China remains to be the worst-hit with 80,881 infections and 3,226 deaths.

In the UK, government authorities, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, revealed that it now appears the country is nearing the summit of the infection curve. During this phase, COVID-19 cases could double every five or six days if the government does not implement drastic actions.

These drastic actions include those who are above 70 years old and those with pre-existing medical conditions to avoid social contact within three months. Apparently, the official advice involved pregnant women.

Avoiding Social Contact

As the number of COVID-19 fatalities in the UK reached 55, the UK Prime Minister is urging everyone to avoid all social contact with others. This is to prevent the virus from further spreading, particularly to the elderly and vulnerable.

In a press conference after a COBRA meeting yesterday, Monday, Mr. Johnson said it appears as though the UK is approaching the fast-growth stage of the curve. The COBRA meeting yesterday is the first of a succession of daily meetings that are expected to occur in the coming days and even possibly weeks. The PM added that the official advice now is to avoid all non-essential contact, particularly for those above 70 years old, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions.

Official Advice from the Experts

Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Adviser of the government, also gave his official pronouncements during the press conference on Monday. He elaborated on social distancing measures and said that pregnant women are included in the group viewed as at risk of developing complications due to coronavirus infection. Professor Whitty said these groups should adhere to the restrictions to be implemented by the government.

Advice for Pregnant Women

In the past, the government has disputed some claims that pregnant women are among those that face greater risk from coronavirus infection. The change of advice, said Professor Whitty, happened because the government wants to reduce the risk and, at this point, is in the dark about COVID-19’s impact on pregnant women.

The official advice from the government today is that pregnant women must stay at home for at least three months. While the government wants the elderly population and vulnerable to take the advice particularly seriously, it also wanted pregnant women to adhere to it to be sure.

Professor Whitty said that the government included women as a precautionary measure because scientists and health experts still have much to learn from COVID-19. While there is no solid evidence stating that pregnancy is a risk factor for COVID-19, the government wanted to be on the safe side.

The inclusion may have been due to reports of newborn testing positive for novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 only minutes after delivered by a mother who tested positive with the virus. Days before giving birth, the pregnant woman had been admitted to the hospital due to symptoms of pneumonia and, upon testing, was found to be positive for novel coronavirus. At present, the baby is being treated at the North Middlesex hospital at Enfield for the disease.

A Necessary Sacrifice

The Prime Minister has declared that this coming weekend, it will be necessary for the government to go further and make sure that those with serious health conditions are protected. They are to be shielded from any social contact for approximately 12 weeks or three months.

Mr. Johnson also said that if a member of a household starts showing symptoms, the entire household should self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days. Key symptoms include having a new and continuous cough or a high temperature.

Affected people, according to the PM, if they want to go out and exercise should do so at a safe distance from others. They are also asked not to leave their house, even for food, adding that someone else should do it for them.

The PM also said that all non-essential travel and social contact must be avoided. If possible, people should start working from home and should avoid clubs, pubs, and other social gatherings. Mr. Johnson added that Londoners should pay particular attention to official advice as a virus outbreak in the capital is a few weeks ahead compared to other parts in the UK.