If the mother is in isolation for COVID-19, she should take the following precautions until her isolation period has ended:

  • Stay home to separate herself from others outside her home.
  • Isolate (stay away) from other household members who are not infected, and wear a mask in shared spaces.
  • Have a healthy caregiver who is fully vaccinated and not at higher risk for severe illness provide care for the newborn (see recommendations below). Follow recommended precautions if she must care for her newborn before her isolation period has ended.

Recommended precautions for healthy caregivers helping care for newborns:

  • Caregivers should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before touching the newborn. If soap and water are not available, they should use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • If the caregiver is living in the same home or has been in close contact with the mother and is not yet fully vaccinated for COVID-19, they might have been exposed.

Fully vaccinated people who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days following the date of their exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate if they test positive.

They should wear a mask when they are within 6 feet of the newborn for the entire time she is in isolation, and during their own quarantine after the mother completes her isolation.

If a healthy caregiver is not available, she can care for her newborn if she is well enough.

She should wash her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before touching her newborn. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

She should wear a mask when within 6 feet of her newborn and other people during her entire isolation period. The mask helps prevent her from spreading the virus to others.

Others in the mother’s household, and caregivers who have COVID-19, should isolate and avoid caring for the newborn as much as possible. If they have to care for the newborn, they should follow the handwashing and mask recommendations above.

Once the mother’s isolation period has ended, she should still wash her hands before caring for her newborn, but she doesn’t need to take the other precautions. She most likely won’t pass the virus to her newborn or any other close contact after her isolation period has ended.

If she had symptoms, her isolation period ends after:
10 days since symptoms first appeared, and
24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medicine, and
Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving

If she never had symptoms, her isolation period ends after
10 days have passed since she tested positive for COVID-19.

These time frames do not apply if she has a severely weakened immune system or was severely ill with COVID-19. P

Monitoring a newborn for COVID-19 symptoms.
If the newborn has one or more of these signs or symptoms, they may have early symptoms of COVID-19 or another illness, and the mother should contact her healthcare professional.

  • Fever (a temperature of 100.4 or higher is considered an emergency)
  • Lethargy (being overly tired or inactive)
  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Poor feeding
  • Increased work of breathing or shallow breathing

All information is taken from cdc.gov. Please visit that site for more information.