World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that all mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 continue to have skin-to-skin contact and to breastfeed. In all socioeconomic settings, breastfeeding improves survival and provides lifelong health and development advantages to newborns and infants.The novel Coronavirus has not been detected in the breastmilk of any mother with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 and there is no evidence so far that the virus is transmitted through breastfeeding. For more information please visit WHO.
Author: kushal
“Fight the virus, not people”
A call by 24 year old Robbie from Indonesia. It’s one of many calls voiced by young people globally to fight stigma and discrimination arising because of the COVID 19 epidemic.
Voices of Youth ( https://www.voicesofyouth.org/ ) is collating stories from
contributors around the world to spread kindness and support to not allow COVID-19 to serve as a vehicle for racism or xenophobia. The site has excellent illustrations, sparks and stories submitted by young people on the site and you can also share your messages of support, comics or poems against stigma and discrimination through the Voices of Youth website. Voices of Youth is UNICEF’s digital community FOR YOUTH, BY YOUTH.
On the same note I was heartened to see the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India ( MOHFW ) produce an awareness video to address stigma. Interviews with doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) highlight why stigma and discrimination as a result of COVID-19 is misplaced. I was heartened to see that stigma as an issue has featured early on in the Government of India’s efforts against the novel Coronavirus and not as an afterthought.
We at Kushal played our own part, albeit small but important. We stepped up our work with focus on COVID in March 2019. Little was known then. Yet, we thought responding with urgency despite our limitations was warranted. Other stakeholders in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh did the same and we joined hands to make as much information as possible available to pregnant women. It was despairing to see the anxiety.
Fight the virus, not people!
Coronavirus: pregnant women urged to take extra caution by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
A comprehensive, well researched and objective article in The Hindu today outlines the advice given by ICMR to pregnant women.
The main points are –
Emerging evidence suggests that transmission of the novel coronavirus from mother to baby can take place antenataly or intrapartum. There is no evidence as yet of breast milk carrying the virus.
Pregnant women with heart disease are at greater risk of COVID-19 related complications.
Mental health issues in relation to the coronavirus is a concern. Increased anxiety and depression has been reported. Also, the incidence of domestic violence has risen.
For more information on our work in relation to COVID – 19 and pregnancy, please click here.
#coronavirus #pregnancy