Lynch
Richmond councilor Stephanie Lynch is recovering after testing positive for COVID-19 on Monday.
Lynch, who is four months pregnant, said she was tested last week after developing what she originally thought was seasonal allergies. She said her condition worsened over the weekend and had trouble breathing normally, but had felt better in the past few days.
“Sore throat, eye irritation, some constipation; no fever or loss of taste and smell. I thought it was allergy symptoms made worse by my pregnancy,” she said in an interview on Thursday. “Until Saturday, I couldn’t get up and do normal household activities without sitting down again. I was out of breath.”
The 5th district councilor said she was scheduled for a 20-week ultrasound and her vaccine was shot down this week. She said she waited a few weeks after her pregnancy to plan her shot. She said she asked her doctors about the next steps to ensure the health of her expected daughter.
“I was a nerve ball,” she said.
The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention say pregnant people who become infected with COVID-19 are at higher risk of serious illness and poor pregnancy outcomes. The agency says there is limited information on the safety of vaccines for pregnant people, although experts believe it doesn’t pose any specific risks.