In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) published clinical guidance for the care of newborns of mothers with COVID-19, which recommended maternal – infant proximity and breastfeeding even in the presence of maternal infection. However, country guidance was poorly aligned with the WHO. It appeared that once recommendations were made for separation or against breastfeeding, they were difficult to reverse.

Read study: “'First do no harm' overlooked: Analysis of COVID-19 clinical guidance for maternal and newborn care from 101 countries shows breastfeeding widely undermined.”