Pregnant women infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) account for a whopping 23 of the 38 cases that are currently being monitored at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
This was revealed by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony while reemphasising the need for expectant mothers to get vaccinated. This, he said, would ensure protection against the virus and cause just a milder form should they get infected.
“Of the 38 persons that we currently have at the Ocean View Hospital, 23 of them are pregnant women. I hope that people are understanding that this is a serious thing…Again, I want to appeal to pregnant women if they haven’t been vaccinated, please go and get vaccinated because if you get COVID, you’ll get a milder form of it. The vaccine is protective,” Dr Anthony explained.
He reassured that data from the obstetrics society and reputable agencies have backed the vaccines as being for pregnant women. They can be administered in any of the trimesters.
“A lot of the prominent societies have put out guidance to obstetricians, informing them that these vaccines do not harm the mother nor the child. They have done studies and they have released those results to show that there is no harm that would come to the child. The vaccines right now are recommended…It’s never too late [to get] the vaccine and even after you would have delivered the baby, you should still take that vaccine while you’re breastfeeding.”
The Minister has previously outlined that the minimal side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine are insignificant when compared to the benefits which pregnant and breastfeeding mothers will attain, since it drastically reduces their risk of serious infection or death.
“The side effects are minimal…but these things don’t last. They go for 24 to 36 hours after which everything returns back to normal. All the data that we now have pertaining to these vaccines is that it’s safe during pregnancy, whether it’s in the first three months, second three months, or the last three months. At what point you choose to get the vaccine, it doesn’t matter,” Dr Anthony was quoted as saying in October.
Since the Pfizer vaccines are available for women in this bracket, the Ministry has started a campaign to get more persons vaccinated. Interest has been growing, with more women taking the initiative to get vaccinated.
In Guyana, approximately 14,000 pregnancies are reported yearly. Dr Anthony stated that most pregnant women are at risk of contracting COVID-19, but immunisation will reduce those chances as well as hospitalisation or death. If vaccinated, some antibodies will also be passed to the child, transferring some protection against the virus.
