Dear Neil
Greetings from India
Also my few thoughts:
We are witnessing this horrible phase of COVID
2021....the clinical characteristics of this wave ate distinctly different
from the last year wave...I can say for newborns for sure...
1. newborn disease is not a rarity any longer..I would say it's not
uncommon...
2. the MISC involvement has been seen.
3. Clinical presentation has been with fever, Resp distress, NEC, seizures,
encephalitis like picture etc
4. Only previous WHO guidelines are available that recommend skin to skin
at birth, exclusive breastfeeding and bedding in of a baby (+ or -) with
his/ her COVID + mom 24x7 as far as possible...
5. Currently I am not sure whether this would be the best approach to room
in a baby who may be negative in the same COVID ward where other positive
patients are kept as there are no other options but to cope like this!!
6. I call upon WHO n other experts to review this issue asap and consider
if alternatives need to be considered...at least till surity that we may
not inadvertently may do no harm to our babies!!
7.we also need to have an international registry of newborn cases and their
clinical profiles.
Look forward to some clarity or guidance through experiential learning from
across the countries to manage our newborns any better in this desperate
helpless situation.
Warm regards and praying best of health for all .
Arti Maria
CHIFA profile: Arti Maria is Professor & Head, Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India. Professional interests: Looking after the inborn and referral neonatal units of north India, at Post Graduate teaching Institute of Medical Education & Research of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, catering to provide quality care to the sick newborns referred from various parts of North India. Practicing, teaching and engaging in research in neonatology for the last about 22 years in various prestigious teaching hospitals of India. Over the last 10 years, we have innovated and institutionalised family centred care (FCC) for sick newborns, that is now a national health program to be scaled up through the public health system of India. I have led and initiated various research aspects of FCC including developing an implementation framework, doing QI initiatives to improve various neonatal outcomes and engage in Qualitative aspects as well as the followup outcomes of family centred care (FCC). Has some pioneering work on preterm brain injury (PVL) as part of her DM dissertation. Has been a central coordinating team member with IndiaCLEN, and participated in various public health projects. Email address: artimaria AT gmail.com
