There are concerns a lack of resources and facilities could put new-born babies at risk in any second wave of COVID-19.

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, Dr Michael Boyle Consultant Neonatologist at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin said the speciality is not prepared for an outbreak.

    

“From my own unit in the Rotunda, the recommended guidelines for a cot space would be 16 metres squared and we would have nothing close to that,” he said,

“In fact, we would have three babies in the same space as you should have one baby and I am sure the country’s other units are not too dissimilar.”

He said parents were “outstanding” at the peak of lockdown and said he remains extremely thankful for how understanding and helpful people were.

"We have no idea how that would pan out"

He warned however, that if the virus was to spread into a neonatal unit, “we have no idea how that would pan out.”

“From a staff perspective; our staff are super specialised,” he said. “You can’t find neonatal nurses to cover shifts at the last minute because someone is out on isolation or someone is sick.

“It is the same for consultants and doctors in the unit. We do not have resilience in numbers to have half of our staff potentially out at a time because of a minor outbreak. So, we are being very careful but it is extremely stressful.”

Isolation

Dr Boyle said the hospital has already delivered baby’s to mums who were COVID-positive; however, the neonatal unit in the Rotunda only has four isolation rooms and they are “full all the time.”

“It is something that needs investment,” he said. “It really needs to be fully funded so the capacity and resources for all our neonatal units are brought up to national and international guidelines.”

He said the looking winter is particularly concerning.

“We know every winter, there are other viruses that spread rapidly and that is because people tend to congregate more together indoors when it is colder and darker,” he said.

“So inevitably we will have an increase in flu-like symptoms in the wintertime so if we have to deal with those already in the community and with COVID, we are facing into potentially a very difficult winter.”

You can listen back here: