Yes, a newborn can catch COVID-19, though the risk is usually low and most babies have mild illness when cared for promptly.
Hearing the words COVID-19 and newborn in the same sentence can feel scary. Parents want clear answers about how this virus behaves in babies during the first weeks of life.
This guide walks through what current research shows, how a newborn can catch COVID-19, what signs to watch for, and how to lower risk while still bonding with your baby.
Why Parents Ask If Newborns Can Catch COVID-19
Pregnant parents and new caregivers often hear different messages from friends, news reports, and social media. Some stories make it sound as if every baby born during a COVID-19 surge becomes sick, while others suggest babies almost never catch the virus.
Both impressions miss the full picture. Research across many countries shows that newborn infection is possible, yet occurs less often than infection in older children and adults, and most infected babies recover with mild symptoms when they receive close monitoring and prompt care.
Can A Newborn Catch COVID-19? Risk Breakdown
To answer the core question can a newborn catch covid-19, it helps to trace how infection actually reaches a baby in the first place. Scientists describe three main routes: before birth, during birth, and after birth from close contact.
| Route Of Exposure | When It Happens | What Current Data Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Before birth (in the womb) | During pregnancy | Studies suggest that true infection passed through the placenta appears rare, though possible. |
| During birth | Labor and delivery | Exposure to maternal fluids may carry risk, especially when the parent has active symptoms near delivery. |
| Early contact after birth | First hours and days | Close breathing distance and touching the face create chances for droplets to reach the baby. |
| Household spread | Days to weeks after going home | Most newborn infections seem linked to infected parents, siblings, or other caregivers in the home. |
| Healthcare exposure | Clinic or hospital visits | Risk stays low when staff use masks, hand hygiene, and screening policies. |
| Visitor exposure | Family and friend visits | Unmasked or sick visitors raise the chance of bringing COVID-19 into the baby's space. |
| Unknown source | Any time | A small share of cases have no clear exposure, which reflects how widely the virus circulates. |
Systematic reviews of infants born to parents with COVID-19 find that only a small percentage of newborns test positive, and many of those babies either stay well or show mild symptoms such as feeding changes, nasal stuffiness, or brief breathing pauses.
How Likely Is A Newborn To Catch COVID-19? Risk Levels
Large research reviews that pool data from many hospitals suggest that infection in newborns remains uncommon, even when the parent tests positive around the time of birth. Published studies put the rate of positive tests in exposed babies in the single digits, and serious illness appears far less frequent than in older adults.
That said, even a low rate matters when the baby in front of you is your child. Health teams treat every exposed newborn with care, because babies have small airways, limited immune memory, and less ability to clear congestion on their own.
Risk for any individual newborn depends on several overlapping factors:
- How high COVID-19 activity runs in the local area.
- Whether the birthing parent had infection late in pregnancy or at delivery.
- Mask use, ventilation, and hand hygiene in the home.
- How many close contacts the baby has beyond the main caregivers.
- Whether adults and older siblings keep up to date with local vaccine and booster advice.
Signs Of COVID-19 In Newborns
Newborns cannot say they feel unwell, so early detection relies on watching patterns. Symptoms of COVID-19 in a baby during the first month can overlap with many other conditions, which is why any concerning change deserves a call to your baby's doctor.
Possible signs linked with COVID-19 in a newborn include:
- Fever over 38°C (100.4°F) measured with a rectal thermometer.
- Breathing that looks fast, laboured, or with pulling between the ribs.
- Pale, blue, or gray colour around the lips or face.
- Poor feeding, fewer wet diapers, or weak sucking.
- Unusual sleepiness or hard to wake behaviour.
- Persistent strong crying that does not settle with feeding, changing, or cuddling.
- Stuffy or runny nose with cough.
These signs do not prove COVID-19 on their own. In newborns, any fever or breathing change counts as an urgent red flag, whether caused by this virus or another infection.
Breastfeeding, Rooming In, And COVID-19
Parents often ask whether direct contact and breastfeeding raise the chance that a newborn will catch COVID-19. Current evidence points in a reassuring direction. Studies show that the virus does not seem to pass through breast milk itself, and many guidelines encourage skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding with sensible precautions when a parent has COVID-19.
Health agencies advise steps such as washing hands before touching the baby, wearing a mask while feeding if the parent has symptoms, and cleaning surfaces that many hands share. Guidance from public health groups continues to stress that breast milk remains a strong source of nutrition and helpful antibodies for young infants.
Parents can read updated advice on COVID-19 and breastfeeding on the CDC breastfeeding and COVID-19 page, and can match those suggestions with local hospital policies.
Protecting A Newborn When Someone Has COVID-19 At Home
When a parent or sibling tests positive, the question can a newborn catch covid-19 moves from theory to daily life. Steps at home can shrink the chance of passing the virus while still allowing care and bonding.
Masking And Hand Hygiene
The infected adult should wash hands with soap and water before holding the baby, feeding, or handling bottles and pumps. Hand sanitizer helps when a sink is not nearby. Wearing a well fitting mask during close contact lowers the amount of virus reaching the baby through droplets.
Room Setup And Visitor Rules
If space allows, a healthy caregiver can take the lead on diaper changes, burping, and soothing while the sick adult rests and wears a mask during feeds. Keeping the baby's crib or bassinet near the bed yet slightly away from coughing distance helps reduce direct exposure.
Limiting visitors during the first weeks pays off in more than one way. Fewer people in and out of the home mean fewer chances for the virus to arrive. Any visitor who enters the baby's space should feel well, clean hands on arrival, and follow local mask advice.
Cleaning Routines
Daily cleaning of high touch surfaces such as doorknobs, phone screens, and pump parts lowers viral load in the home. Standard household cleaners that list coronavirus on the label are suitable when used as directed.
Testing And Care When A Newborn Might Have COVID-19
If a baby has symptoms or a clear exposure, the baby's doctor may recommend testing. Many hospitals and clinics now use PCR tests on a swab from the nose, which pick up small amounts of viral material. Some centres also use high quality rapid tests in certain settings.
The care plan depends on the baby's age, symptoms, and any medical conditions. Newborns with fever during the first month usually need urgent evaluation in an emergency department or hospital, even if COVID-19 seems likely, because doctors must rule out other serious infections.
Babies who test positive but stay well might be managed at home with close follow up. Caregivers track feeding, breathing, and diaper counts, and keep in regular contact with the baby's clinic by phone or telehealth check ins arranged by the care team.
When To Seek Emergency Help
Some signs warrant immediate medical attention, whether or not COVID-19 testing has taken place.
| Warning Sign | What It May Signal | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Fever in a baby under 28 days | Possible serious infection | Go to the nearest emergency department straight away. |
| Blue, gray, or pale colour around lips | Low oxygen levels | Call emergency services and start transport without delay. |
| Fast or struggling breathing | Respiratory distress | Seek urgent care; do not wait to see if it settles on its own. |
| Hard to wake or floppy baby | Possible low blood sugar or serious illness | Call emergency services and follow their guidance. |
| Fewer wet diapers over 12 hours | Dehydration | Contact the baby's doctor urgently for assessment. |
| Seizure or repeated jerking movements | Possible neurologic event | Call emergency services at once. |
| Caregiver feels something is wrong | Worry based on day to day knowledge of the baby | Err on the side of getting urgent medical advice or care. |
Balancing COVID-19 Precautions With Bonding
New parents sometimes hear advice that swings between extreme shielding and relaxed attitudes. In reality, families can take COVID-19 seriously and still hold, feed, and soothe their newborns often.
Simple habits make a large difference: washing hands, keeping sick visitors away, wearing masks during active infection, and keeping up with local vaccine recommendations for older children and adults in the household.
At the same time, skin-to-skin contact, eye contact, gentle talking, and responsive feeding build attachment and infant brain growth. Health groups such as the World Health Organization newborn and COVID-19 guidance stress that keeping parents and babies together usually brings better outcomes when basic infection control runs alongside.
Every family's situation differs. Parents with questions about current COVID-19 risk in newborns and how that risk fits with their baby's health history should talk with their paediatrician or family doctor. This article offers general information and does not replace medical care from your own clinician.
Clear information, calm observation, and early contact with health services give newborns the best chance to move through COVID-19 exposure or illness in a safe way.