PRESS NEWS
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Pregnant Women now eligible for COVID-19
Vaccination
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has accepted the recommendations of NTAGI
Pregnant women may now register on CoWIN or walk-in to the nearest COVID Vaccination Centre (CVC) to get themselves vaccinate
Operational Guideline for vaccinating
pregnant women, Counselling Kit for Medical Officers and FLWs, and IEC material
for general public shared with States/UTs for its implementation
Posted On: 02 JUL 2021
5:55PM by PIB Delhi
Based
on recommendations from National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization
(NTAGI), the Union Ministry of Health and family Welfare (MoHFW) today approved
the vaccination of pregnant women against COVID-19. The decision empowers
pregnant women to make an informed choice on taking the COVID
vaccination. The decision has been communicated to all the States/ UTs to
implement it under the ongoing National COVID Vaccination Program.
India’s
National COVID Vaccination program incorporates recommendations of the foremost
experts in the field of immunization, public health, disease control and
information technology. Based on scientific and epidemiological evidence, the
programme gives priority to strengthening the country’s healthcare system by
protecting the professionals, health and frontline workers, manning it, as well
as protecting the most vulnerable population groups. Till date, all groups
except pregnant women were eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Now, it is
expanded to even pregnant women in the world’s largest Immunization drive.
Studies
have shown that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy may result in rapid
deterioration of health of pregnant women and they are at an increased risk of
severe diseases and it might affect fetus too. The matter has been examined by
domain knowledge experts based on the evidence that indicate that pregnant
women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to
non-pregnant women in case they get infected. Further, pregnant women with
COVID-19 infection are at an increased risk for preterm birth and other adverse
pregnancy outcomes including higher chances of neonatal morbidity.
Additionally, the experts have also highlighted pre-existing co-morbidities,
advanced maternal age, and high body mass Index as factors for severe COVID-19
in pregnancy.
The
National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has recommended
vaccination for pregnant women. The National Expert Group on Vaccine
Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) too has unanimously recommended it.
Further, a national level Consultation on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant
women was also convened by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to
build consensus on COVID Vaccination of pregnant women. The consultation
unanimously welcomed the recommendation of NTAGI to vaccinate pregnant women.
The consultation included professional bodies like FOGSI, representatives of
State Governments, CSOs, NGOs, Development Partner agencies, technical experts
etc.
The
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has accepted these recommendations and
prepared an Operational Guideline for vaccination of pregnant women,
Counselling kit for Medical Officers and FLWs, and IEC material for general
public to equip the States/ UTs to carry out the vaccination of pregnant women.
Pregnant woman, who opts for vaccination, can be vaccinated with COVID-19
vaccines available in the country any time during their pregnancy at the
nearest Government or Private COVID-19 Vaccination Center (CVC) after
registration on CoWIN or by walk-in registration at the nearest CVC. The
procedures and modalities of COVID-19 vaccination like registration, generation
of certificates after vaccination etc. will remain the same as it is for any
beneficiaries above 18 years of age under the National COVID Vaccination
Program. MV (Release ID: 1732312) 02.07.2021
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