How can pregnant women and children protect themselves from COVID-19? Authoritative experts respond!

How to protect the health of pregnant women and children——Authoritative experts respond to hot topics in epidemic prevention

Respiratory diseases such as influenza are prevalent in winter. How should pregnant women, children and other special groups protect their health during the epidemic? Do families with children need to stock up on more medicines? The State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism organized authoritative experts - Qiao Jie, President of Peking University Third Hospital, and Wang Quan, Director of the Emergency Department of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, to provide professional answers.

1. Question: Are pregnant women more susceptible to COVID-19 than the general population? How can they protect themselves?

Qiao Jie: From the overall population performance, the infection rate of Omicron in pregnant women is close to that of the general population, and the types of symptoms are also similar to those of the general population, such as dry throat, cough, runny nose, body aches, fever, etc. In general, compared with the general population, the infection does not bring more impact on the health of pregnant women.

Pregnant women with underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes should strengthen their self-protection. Women who are planning to get pregnant are advised to get vaccinated against the new coronavirus before pregnancy to enhance their immunity. Try to adjust your physical condition before getting pregnant.

Pregnant women and mothers need to pay attention to protection and follow the following key points: wear a mask when going out and in public places, wear an N95 mask when going to the hospital for treatment, and avoid crowded places; ventilate frequently at home or in the office to keep the air flowing; wash hands frequently after going out.

2. Question: What should we do if pregnant women cannot see a doctor on time due to closed isolation?

Qiao Jie: If pregnant women are unable to see a doctor on time due to isolation, they should not be anxious or worried, but should contact their obstetric institution in a timely manner. If the visit is for a routine physical examination, the time can be changed; if it is an emergency visit, they can communicate with the community in a timely manner and see a doctor through a special channel.

3. Question: It is the peak season for respiratory diseases. If my child has a fever and cough, does he need to go to the hospital?

Wang Quan: Autumn and winter are the peak seasons for respiratory diseases in children. Fever and cough are common symptoms of respiratory diseases in children. There are many pathogens that cause fever and cough, mainly viruses such as influenza virus, but also some bacteria and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

If the child is in a stable mental state after falling ill, parents can just treat the symptoms and observe the condition. If the child has a fever for more than three consecutive days, a persistent high fever, frequent coughing or vomiting, or even a mass, frequent diarrhea, bloody stools, decreased urine volume, increased breathing, difficulty breathing, or impaired consciousness, parents should take the child to see a doctor in time.

While in the hospital, parents should protect themselves and their children, wear masks, and maintain good hand hygiene. After returning home, they should immediately take off their coats, shoes, and hats and wash their hands carefully.

4. Question: Should families with children stock up on more medicine right now?

Wang Quan: Just keep some antipyretic medicines suitable for children at home. It is not recommended to keep too many medicines at home. When giving medicine to children, parents should follow the doctor's instructions and read the drug instructions carefully. To ensure safety, parents should not give medicines based on experience alone.

When children are at home, they should maintain a regular schedule, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, exercise more, and eat more fruits and vegetables. The weather in the north is relatively dry in winter, so parents should let their children drink more water, strengthen parent-child communication, and keep their mood happy.

Source: Xinhua News Agency