How to protect the health of pregnant women and children—authoritative experts respond to epidemic prevention hotspots

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 4th.

　　Xinhua News Agency reporter

　　Respiratory diseases such as influenza occur frequently in winter. How should special groups such as pregnant women and children take good health protection during the epidemic?

Do families with children need to stockpile more medicines?

The Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council organized authoritative experts - Qiao Jie, Dean of Peking University Third Hospital, and Wang Quan, Director of the Emergency Department of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, to give professional answers.

　　1. Question: Are pregnant women more susceptible to COVID-19 than the general population?

How to do a good job of protection?

　　Qiao Jie: Judging from the performance of the general population, the infection rate of pregnant women with Omicron is close to that of the general population, and the types of symptoms are also similar to those of the general population, such as dry throat, cough, runny nose, body aches, and fever.

Overall, infection did not have a greater impact on maternal health than the general population.

　　Pregnant women with underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes should strengthen self-protection.

Women who are planning to become pregnant are advised to get vaccinated against the new coronavirus before pregnancy to enhance their immunity.

Try to adjust your physical condition and get pregnant again.

　　Pregnant women should pay attention to protection and do the following key points: wear masks when going out and in public places, wear N95 masks when going to the hospital, and avoid crowded places; ventilate frequently at home or in the office to maintain air circulation; wash hands frequently after going out .

　　2. Question: In case of closed isolation, pregnant women cannot see a doctor on time, what should I do?

　　Qiao Jie: If pregnant and lying-in women are unable to see a doctor on time due to closed isolation, don't be anxious or anxious, and contact your midwifery institution in time.

If the visit is a routine physical examination, the time can be changed; if it is an emergency visit, you can communicate with the community in time and see a doctor through a special channel.

　　3. Question: It is the season of high incidence of respiratory diseases. If the child has a fever and cough, do I need to go to the hospital?

　　Wang Quan: Autumn and winter are the seasons with high incidence of respiratory diseases in children. Fever and cough are common symptoms of respiratory diseases in children.

There are many pathogens that cause fever and cough symptoms, mainly viruses such as influenza virus, but also certain bacteria and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

　　If the child's mental state is stable after the child is ill, the parents can do symptomatic treatment and observe the condition.

If fever lasts for more than three days, persistent high fever, frequent cough or vomiting, or even lumps, frequent diarrhea, pus and blood in the stool, decreased urine output, rapid breathing, dyspnea, disturbance of consciousness, etc., parents should take their children to see a doctor in time.

　　While in the hospital, parents should take good care of themselves and their children, wear masks and do good hand hygiene.

Immediately after returning home, take off your coat, shoes and hats and wash your hands carefully.

　　4. Question: Should families with children prepare more medicines now?

　　Wang Quan: It is enough to prepare some antipyretics suitable for children at home. It is not recommended to store too many medicines at home.

When giving medicines to children, you should follow the doctor's advice carefully and read the medicine instructions carefully.

In order to ensure safety, parents should not only give medicines based on experience.

　　When children are at home, they should maintain a regular schedule, get enough sleep, have a reasonable diet, balanced nutrition, strengthen exercise, and eat more fruits and vegetables.

The winter weather in the north is drier, so parents should drink plenty of water for their children, strengthen parent-child communication, and maintain a happy mood.

(Xinhuanet)