New Delhi: In view of the rising coronavirus COVID-19 cases globally, hospitals in Thailand are equipping newborn babies with plastic face shields to help protect them from the deadly virus. At Praram 9 Hospital in Bangkok, nurses have been pictured holding the masked babies in a maternity ward, according to an Independent report.
Another hospital in Samut Prakarn province has also adopted the same measure. On its Facebook page, Paolo Hospital wrote, “We have extra protection measures for little ones and friends, with face shield for newborns. So cute!”
Buzzfeed News also reported about babies born at a hospital in Thailand wearing special plastic face shields to protect them from contamination from the coronavirus. The masks are reportedly designed to stop any droplets with the virus from coughs or sneezes from reaching the baby's face.
Staff at the Praram 9 Hospital through said the masks were being used "because safety is what we care about the most" on their Facebook page. Photos from the maternity ward showed nurses wearing surgical masks cradling the newborns wrapped in white blankets and wearing the mini visors.
BBC Thailand also reported that the visors are part of efforts to give new mothers at the hospital "peace of mind."
Citing data from Thailand's ministry of public health, the Buzzfeednews report said there have been more than 2,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the southeast Asian country with 50 new cases on Friday. At least 33 people have died.
Last month, Thailand has closes schools, restaurants, and bars in a bid to stop infection like countries across the world. The Thai government took these measures to implement social distancing after infections surged.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha then reportedly imposed a state of emergency, under which all but essential shops are shut and domestic travel restricted. The government has also closed the country’s borders to most foreigners.
Thailand reported 50 new coronavirus cases and the death of a 43-year-old woman on Friday. Of the new cases, 27 are reportedly linked to previous infections while eight suspects are waiting for confirmation of how they caught the disease.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus escalated in January, Thailand has reported a total of 2,473 cases with 33 fatalities.
