Covid-19: Stillbirth risk may increase with virus and retail sales rebound after lockdown

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.

1. Stillbirth risk may increase with Covid

Having coronavirus around the time of birth may increase the chance of stillbirths and premature babies, although the overall risks remain low, a study suggests. The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit looked at data involving more than 340,000 women who gave birth in England between the end of May 2020 and January 2021. Scientists say while most pregnancies are not affected, their findings should encourage pregnant women to have their jabs as soon as they are eligible.

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2. Severely ill - and still made to quarantine in a hotel

People with serious health conditions are allowed to quarantine at home instead of in hotels, when returning from countries with high Covid infection rates. But as concern is voiced that requests are often denied, Afshah Khan, 17, describes a "very scary" experience. The government says people with health concerns can seek an assessment by a medical professional after check-in at a quarantine hotel.

3. Scotland's Covid levels to be reviewed

A decision is expected later about any change to the Covid protection levels, which dictate the severity of social restrictions, in parts of Scotland. Glasgow is currently in level three and while a decision is expected on whether the city might move down, its infection rate has been accelerating. Rates have also increased in East Renfrewshire, which only moved down to level two on Monday. The infection rate is decelerating in Moray.

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4. 'Please don't take corona so lightly'

Dimple Arora was a 34 year-old-dentist with everything to live for when she died of Covid-19 - one of more than 250,000 people in India so far to have lost their lives to the virus. Her husband Ravish tells Orla Guerin his wife's death should serve as a warning to the UK.

5. Retail sales soar in April as shops reopen

Overall retail sales rebounded to be more than 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels in April, according to the Office for National Statistics. It says the volume shifted grew by 9.2% in April, with clothing sales up nearly 70% as lockdown measures eased and non-essential shops reopened, although online sales dipped.

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Here's what we know about getting the vaccine when pregnant.

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May 21, 2021 at 07:15PM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57197616