Cleanup in Aisle 5.
A Missouri woman successfully gave birth to a baby girl while surrounded by bare shelves and coronavirus-fearing shoppers in a Walmart toilet paper aisle, local station KYTV reports.
The unidentified customer’s water suddenly broke while she was shopping for toilet paper at a Walmart in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday. Walmart staff immediately rushed to her aid and a customer who was also a labour nurse stepped in to help with the delivery, which reportedly played out over about 45 minutes.
The woman said her last delivery happened 30 minutes after her water broke, so she opted to give birth at the store rather than try to rush to a hospital for baby No. 2, according to store manager Jessica Hinkle.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this actually going to happen?'” Hinkle told KYTV.
She says the labour nurse came to the woman’s rescue, pulled surgical gloves out of her pocket and immediately went to work.
Customers and staff cheered the woman on as she went through labour, and firefighters eventually arrived to help with the final stages of the delivery.
“They’re the typical fire department that shops in our store, so they were pretty proud of themselves,” Hinkle said.
Hinkle says she spoke to the woman on Thursday and mom and baby are both doing well.
She described it as a “feel-good moment” amid the uncertainty caused by COVID-19.
“Everybody’s going through so much, and with a baby, it’s like everything comes full circle,” she said.
The child’s name has not been revealed, but there are probably a few fitting names to choose from, given the circumstances.
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Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials say the risk is low for Canadians but warn this could change quickly. They caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are asked to self-isolate for 14 days in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
—With files from The Associated Press
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