Pregnant women included in high at risk for coronavirus uk what to do now!?

[NishaaS123]

So just saw Boris Johnson's conference said pregnant women are also added to the vulnerable group and should self isolate!? But what about working pregnant ladies what should they do!? I work for the MOJ which is a goverment department would they be more lenient towards me? What should I do? So confused still have 13 weeks to start maternity leave

I was contacted by my HR and told to work from home from tomorrow. I'm not really in a job where I will be able to do my role 100%from home but they recognised that in their email. They will also courier a laptop to me.

I am currently 36 weeks pregnant planning a home birth and also have two children 8 and 4 years old still in school. I'm starting to think I should keep them at home from now on as I won't be aloud a home birth if I catch this virus. I had my other two before due date the last being in the 38th week so hoping I haven't got much longer and can get her out asap at home and avoid hospitals. Can anyone please response to this and let me know if they would keep kids home now and just stay in with them as much as possible apart form essentials. I'm not scared of the virus itself necessary and me and baby getting it just all the complications that come with getting it and ovbs it's a new virus so it is the unknown.

Alteast we are all on the same boat guys I think contact your managers and talk about this better to keep your baby and you safe then risking it

I’m going to be working from home for the foreseeable. 12 weeks will take me up until I was planning to be on mat leave anyway.

Quite nervous about being at home without much interaction but feels like I don’t have much choice!

Okay think of it a little bit like this:

When you are pregnant your work has to adjust your role to be as pregnancy friendly as possible. For instance, with mine I wasnt allowed to do heavy lifting anymore and was restricted to the office.

This is similar. Your work has a duty to protect you in your workspace. They can send you home and get you to work from there. If not, they still need to send you home and pay you.

As far as why we are 'suddenly' in the vulnerable category... well, we should have been because pregnant women have a weakened immune system as it is. However, with this being a new virus, they couldn't be sure. They have now had time to study it. They now have more cases involving pregnant women to use as a model for what advice they should give.

Now, they know if it can transfer to baby in utero. How contagious it can be. If women can breastfeed when they have the virus. They have more information and so are now telling us we shouldn't be putting ourselves at risk.

It's just the way it is. This is a pandemic. Look at credible sources for your information:

Government website
World Health Org
The Lancet
NHS

Keep yourselves informed. Be sensible and calm.
12 weeks sounds like a long time...but, to put things in perspective, wouldn't you rather be in for 12 weeks than pass something on to your newborn (I say that as a pregnant lass)? Wouldn't you rather be stuck indoors than endure a hellish flu that could potentially develop into pneumonia because of a weak immune system?

The advice is very unclear to me. It was not stated pregnant women need to self isolate, in the same way that over 79s with chronic health conditions do. It stated they need to pay particular heed to reducing social contact. What does that mean?

I’m a teacher. Biggest concern is affording being off work for 12 weeks tbh plus being trapped indoors for three months. I’ve had my scans but I have a midwife appointment in a fortnight, how will midwife appointments go on from here on out? Home visits?

Is it all pregnant woman that are being classed as vulnerable or just those in the last trimester? It's just so vague!

So can I just clarify... are we to limit social activity or completely self isolate? 😩

The guidance applies to anyone who is pregnant. The mention about third trimester was to say that we only have data about the third trimester so far (because the virus is so new), not that the advice is different for those in the third trimester.

@Isthistrueor surely as a teacher you have to get paid? I’m a teacher and expecting to be paid whilst off? Schools surely will close soon anyway?

I'm only 16 weeks and am not in a job that I can work from home (I work in a veterinary clinic). We can't close as animals need treatment for illness and emergency. Very confused as to these latest guidelines, I only receive statutory maternity and sick pay and really not sure how I'll manage for 12 weeks on statutory sick pay! But at the same time I deal with the public all day, and get public transport to and from work. Hopefully by the end of the week we will have clearer information. It's all so worrying.

Another one who is highly confused.

I'm 10 weeks but haven't told my boss yet.

If I self isolate surely that means DH can't work and DD can't go to school because of the risk of passing anything to me?

We can't afford to lose my part time wage in place of SSP let alone DH's currently. I'd have just as much second hand exposure from them as I would by going to work and still earning!

Work has told me tonight to self isolate after todays development for 7 days until HR can clarify whether the advice Is for all stages of pregnancy, so I'm not sure what will happen moving forward

Messaged my MW! Will report back if I have anything useful x

im a nurse in the frontline of all this covid & ive just came home from work to hear this news & I am at a total panic! I don’t know what to do?! My work haven’t really given us any advice & never told me not to come in so I worry that I’m expected to be there! Anyone in the same boat??

@Quail15 yes same here just found out about this I am off sick this week anyway going to call my manager tomorrow and ask them if I can somehow work from home I travel on tube and really dont want to risk the baby I start maternity in a month so hopefully something will work out

They did say it was more because it’s an infectious disease than anything else. Just keep following hygiene protocols. Your midwife could probably give you handwash / santizer / face masks if you have a high risk condition on top of the pregnancy

@bwSB I am in the exact same situation I currently work in a restaurant and all I have been told is to wait for 48 hours for the next update from the CEO. If I take time off work all I am entitled to is SSP I'm also currently 15 weeks pregnant and really worried how I'm going to get by.

I'm panicking as well. Hardly anyone knows I'm pregnant yet, cant just not turn up tomorrow? Also, they didn't actually say to self isolate they said reduce social contact.

2 kids and a husband. Husband will still have to go to work, kids still expected at school. Will still have to do the school run which will leave me susceptible and my 3 family members will be bringing me all and sundry home by way of germs. Doesn't seem to make sense. Cant possibly isolate myself from my children.

Will await further official news as it was very vague and not clear

I'm jumping on this as I am also unsure if I'm supposed to go to work or not. I work in a job centre which has a high footfall and is renowned for dealing with very low hygiene levels (no shade to anybody that attends with good hygiene but you are amongst the few) so I am concerned. It does mean that I can't work from home so just wondering if anyone else is in the same role. TIA x

Im guessing its also about lowering the risk of inadvertantly taking the infection into hospital with you

Here is the guidance please stop looking at the daily mail and other news outlets for incorrect information. Only use Officials government website.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Thank you PP that is very helpful. It doesn't actually say we have to self isolate, the measures outlined are very doable.

I also work in a call centre type place and I've been told to stay at home (with full pay) think they have no idea what to do until they have a HR meeting as they dont want to go against government advice which is understandable