Twins born during pandemic named after coronavirus
A couple has named their twins after the deadly pandemic they were born into as the pandemic continues to grip the globe.
Corona and Covid were reportedly born in a Raipur hospital amid a total lockdown in India on March 27.
Mum Preeti Verma, 27, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) she was “blessed” with a boy who they named Covid and a girl who they have called Corona.
Ms Verma said she and her husband chose the names to remind them of all the hardships they faced ahead of the delivery.
The three-week lockdown in India was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 and presented a problem for Ms Verma who went into labour on March 26.
She said when she started experiencing labour pains late on the night of March 26, her husband called for an ambulance.
"As no vehicular movement was allowed on roads due to the lockdown, we were stopped by police at various places, but they let us going after noticing my condition,” Ms Verma told PTI.
“Indeed the virus is dangerous and life-threatening but its outbreak made people focus on sanitation, hygiene and inculcate other good habits,” she said, offering some justification for the names.
She added even the hospital staff started referring to the twins as ‘Corona’ and ‘Covid’, and they decided to just roll with it.
However the couple did say they may change their children’s names in the future.
The twins were born just 45 minutes after Ms Verma arrived at the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital and PTI reported the hospital had discharged the mother and twins who are all in good health.
There have been 2567 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India and 72 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data. However health experts are bracing for the worst despite lockdown efforts to contain the disease.
India’s prime minister said the lockdown was necessary to avert a humanitarian calamity in India, where the healthcare system is weak and many live in “crowded unsanitary conditions”, Reuters reported.
People have been critical of the Indian government, saying now authorities have to deal with the fallout of the lockdown, detracting from the coronavirus.
Mr Modi apologised to the poor amid the lockdown and has announced $23 billion economic plan to hand out food and money.
– with Reuters
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