As Those Around Her Died, She Gave Birth During COVID-19

As New York’s COVID-19 cases began to skyrocket in late March, the same hospitals that filled with the sick and dying were where at least 66 women were giving birth to their babies. For 25-year-old South Bronx resident Laisa Jimenez, delivering her newborn in such a setting was a harrowing experience.

In this video, Jimenez shared details of the traumatic birth of her son at the borough’s Montefiore Medical Center, including how painful it was to see her son being tested for COVID-19 and how uncomfortable she felt by not being able to carry her son without using personal protective equipment.

This report is part of joint project to cover the coronavirus crisis in New York between City Limits and urban health and environment reporting students in Hunter College’s Journalism Program. Also see the students’ May 5 live blogging report from around the metro area. The project is part of the Hunter Journalism program’s Contagion Coverage Project, which has more than 70 students reports from the last few months in video, audio and text.