Indian twins born during lockdown named Corona and Covid

MUMBAI: A couple in India has named their newborn twins Corona and Covid amid the country’s nationwide lockdown brought on by the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

According to local media, the twins, a boy and girl, were born at a government hospital in the state of Chattisgarh on March 27, two days after the lockdown came into force disrupting daily lives. The couple said the names would remind them of the hardships they encountered before the successful delivery of the babies at the hospital.

Preeti Verma, the 27-year-old mother of the twins, said they had no help as their family members could not reach Raipur due to the lockdown. He said the delivery happened after facing several difficulties she and her husband wanted to make the day memorable, adding that the virus is dangerous and life-threatening but its outbreak made people focus on sanitation, hygiene and inculcate other good habits.

Verma said that hospital staff started calling her son Corona and daughter Covid so they decided to name them after the pandemic. The couple already has a two-year-old daughter and struggled to reach the hospital in time for the birth amid the lockdown.

“With vehicular movement stopped, we both made it to the hospital somehow late at night after a lot of suffering. Since the deliveries happened after such difficulties, we wanted the names to be memorable and unique,” she said, hinting that the hospital staff had suggested the names.

“Besides these names are beautiful in their own, with Corona being Latin for crown,” added Vinay Verma, the father. “Also, we want the fear associated with these names to end and the public to focus on sanitation and hygiene. My wife and the babies are also doing fine.”