Strict coronavirus rules in maternity wards can have fatal consequences for premature babies. Because of the pandemic, vital physical contact between parents and their babies will be restricted in many countries, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. According to the UN agency in a research report published today, the medical benefits of cuddling are far greater than the risk of infection.
The kangaroo method is usually recommended for premature babies and lightweight newborns, in which the child is placed on the mother’s or father’s bare torso for as many hours a day as possible. In addition, the children should be given breast milk. According to the WHO, the risk of death for these babies can be reduced by up to 40 percent.
A model calculation led by the WHO came to the conclusion that the risk of death from suspending these measures is at least 65 times higher than the risk of children contracting a fatal coronavirus infection through contact.
