With @NPEU_Oxford @Marianfknight @DrDonSharkey @HMactier @ShamezLadhani we publish prospective national data on characteristics and outcomes of neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United Kingdom, 1 March - 30 April 2020 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(20)30342-4/fulltext

We identified babies with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital through @BPSUtweet using active negative surveillance, with linkage to national testing data through @PHE_uk, @PublicHealthW, @P_H_S_Official, PICANet, @mbrrace, @NPEU_UKOSS to maximise case ascertainment

Headlines: SARS-CoV-2 infection in babies that received inpatient hospital care was very rare in the UK first pandemic wave: only 66 babies in the first 28 days after birth, incidence of 5.6/10,000 live births

Only 17 babies with SARS-CoV-2 infection were born in the UK to mothers with infection (~300 women with confirmed infection were known to have given birth over the same period @NPEU_UKOSS); this supports @WHO @RCObsGyn @BAPM_Official guidance to keep mother and baby together

The most common presenting signs in babies with SARS-CoV-2 infection were high temperature, poor feeding/vomiting, coryzal signs and respiratory signs

22 babies with SARS-CoV-2 needed breathing support (only 3 ventilated); outcomes were very good with almost all discharged home without ongoing problems (a few babies were still in hospital); no baby died of SARS-CoV-2 (1 sadly died of an unrelated condition)

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher in Black and minority ethnic groups and in preterm babies - but was rare in all groups

Neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection is uncommon, infection following birth to a mother with perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection unlikely, and possible vertical transmission rare - this supports international guidance advocating keeping mother and baby together where possible