The COVID-19 Infection Mechanism
How do you catch the coronavirus?
The coronavirus is secreted from the respiratory system of an infected person when coughing or sneezing. The droplets that are sprayed out can be inhaled by other people or they can land on surfaces. There is risk of infection when a person touches an infected surface and then touches their mouth, nose or eyes.
What is the risk of children becoming ill with the coronavirus?
From information collected from across the world, children either do not develop the disease, or develop it very lightly.
What about pregnant women?
As far as we know, pregnant women are not any more susceptible to COVID nor are they likely to develop a severe case of the disease, than the rest of the population. To date, there are reports of dozens of pregnant women across the world who caught the coronavirus but who did not have a severe case, nor is there any documentation of COVID-related deaths.
That said, since the body’s immune system is weaker during pregnancy and as pregnant women are at high-risk for catching viral diseases such as flu, they must take all precautions to prevent catching the virus.
What is the risk of a pregnant woman infecting her fetus with COVID?
From what we know presently, the virus does not apparently pass through the placenta; there were no traces of the virus in amniotic fluid or blood from the umbilical cord, and newborns of women ill with COVID were not found to be carrying the virus at birth. In addition, the virus does not raise the risk of miscarriage or birth defects. Nevertheless, it can affect the fetal pulse; therefore, women with COVID are advised to undergo constant fetal monitoring during the entire birth. Also, since COVID liable to precipitate early labor, it is important to pay attention to suspicious signs.
ASK US!
If you have any questions about the departments or services provided at Sheba Medical Center or connected to treatment of corona at Sheba, call us at our Families Service hotline at 03-530700 ext. #1 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or Email us at sherut@sheba.gov.il. For other information in Israel, call the Health Ministry hotline *5400.
