BC Midwives continue to provide service to their clients and are adhering to the screening guidelines provided by the BC CDC and provincial Health Authorities.
Information on COVID-19 is changing hourly, however, there is consistent key messaging from our provincial Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on prevention and on slowing the spread of this virus. Midwives are responding to the provincial calls for social distancing and practices may be changing how midwifery clients are cared for. These changes are to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Hospitals are also adapting policies to prevent the spread of the virus. This may include new restrictions on the number of support people who can be present in labour and postpartum, as well as in NICU.
We also recognize that clients may be reconsidering their planned place of birth in light of COVID 19 and that there may be increased interest in home birth. If this is a consideration for you, please discuss place of birth with your midwife. Please note, the SOGC has stated “Hospital birth is preferred to home birth for women who have or are being tested for COVID-19, in light of the challenges associated with ensuring appropriate personal protective equipment in the home setting and the high rates of fetal distress that reported in the literature.
If you are having problems breathing or are extremely unwell, seek emergency health services at a hospital or urgent care centre. If you have health concerns, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1
As always, if you are experiencing an emergency call 911
Safety in the Waiting Room: PLEASE do not come to the clinic sick. If you are sick, you may be asked to wait in your car, or wait outside or go home. If you are feeling sick, or are worried about COVID-19 exposure, please call ahead and make alternate arrangements with your midwife. They will help you decide what the next steps should be.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending that travellers avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada, return to Canada, and that ALL returning travellers self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to Canada.
The best source of up-to-date information on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in British Columbia is the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
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