Babies Born During Pandemic Offer Challenges For Hospitals, Parents

Stephanie Stahl reports.

AND EXPERTS SAY IT'S STILLCRUCIAL TO WASH YOUR HANDSOFTEN.CORONAVIRUS BABIES, INFANTSBORN DURING THE PANDEMIC,PRESENT PARENTS AND HOSPITALSWITH A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL IS HERE WITH AN UPDATE ONONE FAMILY'S JOURNEY IN SOUTHJERSEY.HI STEPHANIE.Reporter: AND IT TURNED OUTSO GREAT.YOU KNOW HAVING A BABY DURING APANDEMIC IS SCARY.BUT HOSPITALS HAVE ALL SORTS OFPRECAUTIONS IN PLACE TO MAKESURE IT'S SAFE.HIS NAME IS ELI CONTRACTSCREW, MORE.AND LILY LIE.AND HE WAS SEVEN POUNDS,5 OUNCES.TINA MOORE SAYS HER FOURTHSON ARRIVED SO FAST, 12 DAYSEARLY THEY BARELY MADE IT TO THEHOSPITAL.THEY RAN ME DOWN THE HALLWAY.Reporter: IN MINUTES ELIARRIVED A QUICK ASK EASYDELIVERY AT VIRTUE VOORHEES LIFECONTINUING ALONG WITH THEPANDEMIC.THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL THINGSTHAT ARE STILL HAPPENING WITHALL THIS GOING ON.WE FIRST TALKED TO DINA INEARLY APRIL WHEN SHE WAS WORRIEDABOUT HAVING A BABY WITH THECORONAVIRUS SPREADING THROUGHOUTNEW JERSEY.IT'S TERRIFYING.IT'S REALLY UPSETTING.I CRY ALMOST EVERY DAY.Reporter: IT WAS NEEDLESSWORRY SHE SAYS NOW.THE HOSPITAL HAD EVERYTHINGUNDER CONTROL WITH SAFETYPRECAUTIONS TO MAKE HER FEELCOMFORTABLE.IT WAS GREAT.IT WASN'T LIKE AT ALL WHAT I HADEXPECTED.I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKINGIN MY HEAD BUT IT WASN'T SCARYAT ALL.IT WAS PERFECT.Reporter: VIRTUA DOCTORSDELIVERED 1,480 BABIES IN THEFIRST NINE WEEKS OF THEPANDEMIC, WORKING WITH A VARIETYOF NEW SAFETY MEASURES TO REDUCETHE RISK OF COVID-19 SPREADING.WE HAD A 24 HOUR STAY WE WERELIKE IN OUR OWN LITTLE BUBBLE.IT WAS LIKE NOTHING WAS EVENGOING ON IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD.NOW, INSIDE HIS NEW WORLD ATHOME BABY ELI JOINS HIS THREEBIG BROTHERS, DEAN ASSAYS MOREFAMILY TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN ANYOU UPSIDE OF THE PANDEMIC.IT'S BEEN SCARY BUT IT'S BEENGREAT AT THE SAME TIME.AND DEAN ASSAYS THE BABY WAS