So...are pregnant women classed as high risk or not? Corona confusion!

[Whatelsecouldibecalled]

Yesterday’s announcement from Boris...pregnant women fall into the high risk category. Start social
Distance and self isolation for 12 weeks.

Latest guidance from RCOG and RCNM (who I personal would trust
More than Boris) is that there is no evidence to suggest that pregnant healthy women are no more at risk than non pregnant healthy people.

So are we high risk or not??? Self isolate for 12 weeks or continue with careful hand washing and sensible precautions?

What’s everyone else’s thoughts?

@Whatelsecouldibecalled I honestly don't know now! It's all so confusing with the mixed messages. As if the whole thing isn't unnerving enough already 😩

I think we are classed as high risk but as a precaution only!

However even the high risk groups have not been told to self isolate for 12 weeks yet. Just social distancing and working from home etc. However they have said it may change by this weekend but not at present.

My understanding was that they are actually saying the same thing. There is no evidence to suggest pregnant women are at higher risk than any other healthy person but this is such a new virus and they have so little evidence to support anything that they're categorising us as high risk as a precaution because they know that any illness during pregnancy is potentially more risky.
I don't think it's that they're giving mixed messages at all if you listened to the press conference the other day when it was announced as they did say this quite clearly and it's backed up by RCOM etc. who are just saying to reassure people that the evidence is that we're not high risk but they just can't say for certain so it's better to be safe.

Yeah like @sallyshoes says it was really clear if you watch the press conference.

Also please don't think it's Boris making these decisions, it's not. It's very obvious he's happy to be lead by Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty. He's not a medical or science expert and he makes that clear. It's really worth watching the daily press conferences in full if you can.

I had a phone call yesterday from my employer to ask how i was and to tell me to stop dealing with customers asap (i work in pharmacy, possibly one of the worst places right now) i was told pregnant women are now high risk as a precaution and i have to take care. Only thing that worries me is i simply cannot afford to take time off!!

I'm taking it in the same way I take advice about cold water swimming, drinking a very small amount of alcohol or dying my hair while pregnant - there's no evidence of risk, but there's no proof that it's safe, so my GP refuses to condone it. I feel perfectly safe, but then so does my 70 yo Dad, so maybe denial runs in the family?!

They never said we have to self isolate for 12 weeks but should social distance for 12 weeks.

I think the key thing here is that they just don’t know what risk it could cause as there is not enough data..this virus is so young that there isn’t enough stats..virus started in China in December so we won’t know if babies from the early stage of pregnancy would be effected (they won’t be born till aug/sep)..so the government just don’t want to risk it and say there is absolutely no risk and then in 5m time when they have more data say sorry, we were wrong..so they’ve included preg women into risk category..just in case.

Yep good points all round. It’s not self isolation it’s social distancing which from what I understand everyone has been asked to do.

Feeling very vulnerable at the min. DH is going to work as normal as no symptoms of anything but the closer it gets to due date (I’m nearly 38 weeks) the more I worry what if did come down with symptoms (eg could just be a cold) and they won’t let him in the hospital with me? I’m probably over reacting but feel extremely hormonal today

Think it's totally normal to feel hormonal and worried - it's an unprecedented time. But at the moment there is no evidence to suggest we are at risk, they are just trying to keep us all as safe as possible. Try not to let your mind run wild - I sat googling things yesterday and started panicking like you about baby being quarantined, or hubby not being able to be in the labour room - but there is NOTHING to suggest this would happen. I am coming up to 38 weeks too. I think we just need to be glad our babies will soon be here (before the worst of the situation hits) and try to enjoy these last few days and weeks of pregnancy x