COVID-19: Pregnant women in UK should be offered vaccine, new advice says | UK News

Pregnant women should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest government advice.

The UK vaccine adviser said pregnant women should be offered the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine along with the rest of the population based on their age and clinical risk group.

Until now, pregnant women have been advised not to be vaccinated due to a lack of data on the impact of taking them at any stage of pregnancy.

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However, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) has now said there are “no specific issues” identified with “any brand” of vaccine.

“Women who are planning a pregnancy, who are in the immediate postpartum period, or who are breastfeeding can be vaccinated with any vaccine, depending on their age and clinical risk group,” JCVI said.

He said data from the United States showed that about 90,000 pregnant women had received vaccines, mainly the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, “without any safety concerns being raised.”

As a result, the JCVI has indicated that it is “best” for pregnant women in the UK to be offered these two vaccines when available.

He added: “There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are not safe for pregnant women, but more research is needed.”

Dr Mary Ramsay, Immunization Officer at Public Health England (PHE), said: “The data available on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines gives assurance that they can be offered safely to pregnant women.

“The COVID-19[female[feminine vaccines continue to save thousands of lives and it is important to encourage as many people as possible to take up the offer when it is their turn. “

Pregnant women should always discuss the risks and benefits of being vaccinated with a doctor.

He added that although rare, serious …