Social isolation and childcare

[Reginabambina]

My friend has gone into labour (early still but she thinks it’s definitely the beginning) and asked me to look after her child while she’s giving birth (high risk so had been told to go into hospital). For various reasons there really isn’t anyone else who can take care of her child besides me and another friend (other friend has type 1 diabetes so can’t really do it for safety reasons). I’ve said I’d do it (please don’t tell me not to, this isn’t an option) but how does it work with social distancing? Do we act as if we are one household from now on but just spread across two houses?

Bring the child to yours at the earliest opportunity. Strip them as soon as they arrive, put the child in the bath and their clothes straight in the wash. Get them to bring as little as possible and be prepared to keep the little one with you for a while. Id suggest 2 weeks, in case they pick anything up at your house. It will be hard but probably safer for mum and newborn who, by virtue of being in hospital, are probably being put at risk of catching the virus.

@theword thank you, that’s very good advice. I don’t know why I didn’t think of keeping for two weeks. Will arrange for her to stay for two weeks and isolate the entire household.