COVID-19 is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), first reported in December 2019 in Hubei province of China. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Epidemiologists and Media pundits have been talking about COVID-19 pandemics since early 2020. The word pandemic is often misunderstood in the general population and even among health care providers causing unreasonable fear or unjustified acceptance that disease is out of control and the fight is over. 

As a physician leader in the community, we have a responsibility to alleviate this unreasonable fear and be truthful about what we know and don’t. In a pandemic situation, there are two early reactions that take place in the society way before medical and public health intervention become available and effective and . One of the early reactions is the “blame game” where medical professionals have very little role. But we certainly shall play a major role managing the “Panic reaction” secondary to fear of unknown that is taking place in the society. In this digital era, there is no shortage of facts and myths in the media about COVID-19, it is a burden on the society to filter those information to find the legit ones. Furthermore, not everyone has time to follow or comprehend evolving CDC or WHO guidelines. Public awareness, preparedness and containment is key to the success in this global health crisis.

Being a Neonatal Intensivist, I am getting numerous inquiries about the transmission of COVID-19 from anxious pregnant and lactating women. Those concerns are valid and reasonable and should be addressed.

Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe pneumonia and respiratory infection due to physiological and immunological changes in the body. Some studies had shown respiratory infection leading to increased risk of preterm delivery. Therefore, pregnant women should be considered an at-risk group.