Dr Jagan John, North East London Clinical Commissioning Group Chair and Clinical Chair for Barking and Dagenham column
Firstly, I want to thank everyone in Barking and Dagenham who has had their Covid-19 vaccine or is planning to have it – you’re helping to protect yourself, your family and the most vulnerable from this terrible illness.
Thanks to the success of the vaccination programme, we’re starting to invite younger people to get their first dose and this includes women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has issued new advice that pregnant women can have a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The decision was made after data from a clinical trial of about 90,000 pregnant women who had been vaccinated with one of these vaccines showed no specific safety concerns. The JCVI has also said there is no known risk for women who are breastfeeding or for their babies.
This is positive news and should reassure women they can safely have a vaccine when they are invited. Remember, the vaccine cannot infect you or your baby with Covid-19, but it will protect you from the virus.
It’s natural to have concerns about taking any medicine while you’re pregnant, so before you book your vaccination appointment please have a chat with your GP or midwife to discuss your personal situation and ask any questions so you’re ready to be vaccinated when you’re contacted. At the moment we’re vaccinating pregnant women who are health and social care workers, carers, living with immunosuppressed people, clinically vulnerable or aged 32 or over. You can book your appointment at www.nhs.uk/CovidVaccine or by calling 119.
