Quarantine triggers fear in pregnant St Mary women
Published:Wednesday | May 13, 2020 | 12:11 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
The 14-day quarantine under which three St Mary communities were placed last week has heightened the fears of some expectant mothers, who already worried about the deadly coronavirus being spread in the area.
The containment measure, which was implemented last Thursday, was implemented to stem a spike in coronavirus cases in the northern parish. Thirteen persons from the three areas had tested positive with the virus, which causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease. The affected persons were said to be moving about, increasing the risk of exposure to others in the communities.
With the 24-hour curfew in her community, Annotto Bay resident Samantha Wedderman, who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy, is dreading the time when she will be ready to deliver.
She said that since the community was placed under quarantine last week, she has been sweating. Chief among her worries is whether the taxi driver with whom she has made transport arrangements – and who lives outside of Annotto Bay – will be able to get her to the hospital quickly enough with several checkpoints to pass through.
“I wonder if I should take in (go into labour) and the driver cannot get to me in time,” said Wedderman, who said she has been trying her best to remain COVID-19-free.
“For my children’s sake and for the sake of my unborn baby, I have to just stay away from coronavirus by staying in,” she told The Gleaner. “I don’t have a problem with the lockdown, except that I [would want to be] transported to the hospital quickly. That is my main worry.”
There is no indication to suggest that pregnant women are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
Wedderman said that she is banking on her faith for a “safe, incident-free delivery”.
Twenty-three-year-old Epsom resident Lisa Hacker, said that she, too, was concerned as she is due to deliver her baby around the time the lockdown is scheduled to be lifted. That, however, she said, offers no comfort.
“I have to worry about it because some police and soldiers are really hard on the public. I live here, but my babyfather lives in Portland. I am concerned that if I take in at night, I will be in serious problem,” Hacker said.
“This is my first child and I cannot afford for anything to harm him – either before delivery, during or after delivery or in life – because I am not sure if I will be able to have any more,” Hacker told The Gleaner.