Herne Bay mother reflects on Covid-19 pregnancy struggle

A woman from Herne Bay, Kent, shared her story of battling Covid-19 while pregnant. Karen Mannering was hospitalized when she was six months along, suffering from severe pneumonia. This was in March 2020, just before the first lockdown began. Ms. Mannering, now 44, feared she would never meet her son. She said she often tries to forget that scary time when she thought she might die. After facing significant health challenges, she welcomed her son, Tyson, in June 2020, during the peak of the pandemic. She expressed gratitude that both she and her son survived. Ms. Mannering explained that she was very worried for her child's safety while in and out of consciousness in the hospital. After her ordeal, she used TikTok to raise awareness about the virus, hoping to show others that it could affect anyone, even close to home. Ms. Mannering noted how different her birthing experience was due to Covid restrictions, as she had to go through it largely alone.