DGS updates rules for ‘parents-to-be’ during pandemic

Hospitals are to ensure conditions and tests so that fathers are allowed back into the births of their children in spite of the risks of Covid-19. The change in policy comes after “many complaints” by pregnant women and organisations. Indeed, if a father for some reason hasn’t managed to get a test in the 72-hours before his wife/ partner enters labour, tests are to be offered by the hospital ‘then and there’ so that he doesn’t miss being able to take part. And in the event that the mother is infected with Covid-19, skin-to-skin contact with the baby is to be ‘incentivised’ as finally authorities realise this carries many more benefits to mum and baby than any possible transmission of SARS-CoV-2…