The UK's youngest Covid victim is nine days old.

Ivy-Rose, born 14 weeks premature, contracted the virus from her unvaccinated mother, Katie Leeming, 22.

The woman, who had decided not to get vaccinated for fear of the consequences for her baby, tested positive during pregnancy and needed an emergency caesarean section. Even the little girl, who weighed less than a pound when she was born, had the virus and suffered from complications for days, including brain and lung haemorrhages, until she died.

A tragedy that parents can't understand now: “If I hadn't had Covid and hadn't had such a high fever I honestly don't think Ivy-Rose would have been born premature, the pregnancy was going well. People are convinced that children rarely get Covid and that babies are not affected, but our little girl was born positive and was very ill before she died at just 9 days old. Without Covid, I think Ivy-Rose would still be here. I want everyone to know that Covid exists and is dangerous, ”the mother said.

The family has serious financial problems: now, to pay for the funeral expenses, a friend has volunteered to collect donations online through the GoFundMe platform.

In the United Kingdom, after some initial hesitations by part of the medical community, the guidelines of the National Health Service (NHS) in force have long recommended vaccination against Covid even for pregnant women, unless otherwise specified by the family doctor.

(Unioneonline / D)