J Korean Soc Matern Child Health.  2021 Jul;25(3):162-168. 10.21896/jksmch.2021.25.3.162.

Response Guidelines for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Newborn Infants: A 2021 Update

• Kim DH

• KMID: 2518919
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2021.25.3.162

Abstract

Since the first report of neonatal case on March 29, 2020, a small number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in newborn infants have been reported in Korea. The COVID-19 pandemic in Korea has urged the development of response guidelines for newborn infants born to mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. These guidelines have been revised following further updates on COVID-19. The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the Korean Society of Neonatology issued updated guidelines for COVID-19 in newborn infants on December 31, 2020. The present review introduces the management of newborn infants born to mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, based on current updated guidelines for COVID-19. The management includes infection precautions for healthcare workers, neonatal resuscitation, neonatal isolation and medical care, breastfeeding, testing for COVID-19, and mother/baby contact.

Keyword

Coronavirus, COVID-19, Infant, Newborn, Guideline

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Flowchart showing the management of neonates born to women with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 (as of December 31, 2020). NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PUI, patient under investigation. Adapted from The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 1. Collect oropharyngeal-nasopharyngeal swabs. Cord blood or amniotic fluid samples can be obtained for laboratory testing of SARS-CoV-2 to check vertical transmission. 2. Con-sider the neonate is COVID-19 positive until the result is reported. 3. End quarantine of the neonate born to PUI mother without testing if the mother's PCR result tests are negative before 24 hours of age. Further measures related to maternal COVID-19 are not required. 4. Manage according to guidelines for children and adolescents.

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