BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
PREGNANT Women can get vaccinated, but first they must consult doctors to know and understand the vaccine risks and benefits before taking it.
This was echoed by Dr Simon Burggraaf World Health Organisation, Honiara office Immunisation Specialist.
He stressed both Sinopharm and AstraZeneca COVID-19 are good for pregnant mothers.
“For both vaccines we have not seen any negative sign effects in the data for pregnant women. We have not recommended that they can get vaccinated yet but we don’t also recommend that they can’t get vaccinated.
“All we are saying is come see and talk to your doctors, ask about the benefits and the risks are and if you are good with both the risk and benefits then you can take the vaccine.
“Having seen the impacts of delta variant, women should consider the vaccine benefits and weigh up their options,” Burggraaf said.
He adds it is sad to see some situation like in Fiji where the delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading and had impacted the unvaccinated pregnant woman who has died.
“Because of such situations we are concerned for pregnant women for them to come forward to talk with their Doctors about the vaccine and the risks and the benefits. And if they can make decisions they can get vaccinated,” Burggraaf said.
He stated WHO is recommending pregnant women in high risk areas can vaccinate with any vaccine .They have not seen any side effect so far yet that said vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women.
Burggraaf further adds both Pfizer and Moderner COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by number of stringent regulatory authorities for pregnant mother to receive.
He said regarding the 12 – 18 year old adolescent there is no vaccine recommended for them receive in Solomon Islands.
“We are not recommending yet for this younger population to get vaccinated until we have bigger coverage of all the population,” Burggraaf said.
