Women's health director: Pregnant women can take Pfizer vaccine

WOMEN in the first trimester of their pregnancy can take the Pfizer covid19 vaccine.

Director of women's health at the Health Ministry Dr Adesh Sirjusingh made this statement at the virtual health news conference on Monday.

Sirjusingh said, "As of Wednesday (August) 25, we will be rolling this out, at all of our sites currently administering Pfizer (to children 12-18).

"We are recommending the use of the Pfizer vaccine for pregnant women and of course regardless of nationality, after they have completed the first trimester ."

This is the first three months of pregnancy.

Sirjusingh said, "The process really is based on the advice of your health care provider."

He added that pregnant women who have completed their first trimester are not allowed to simply turn up at the Pfizer vaccination sites to be vaccinated.

"You have to go through your antenatal care provider, be it in the private sector...it could be your general practitioner...it could be your specialist obstetrician or gynaecologist...your local health centre or the hospital."

He said a new form has been created for eligible pregnant women. Sirjusingh said they should take the form along with their identification to the mass vaccination sites being used for the rollout of the children's vaccination.

"No consent is needed if you are over 18 years," he pointed out.

On arriving at the site, Sirjusingh advised women to indicate to the staff they are pregnant "and we will assist in fast-tracking you to get your vaccinations. This has already been arranged.'

He added there is an additional formal vaccination form which could be downloaded from the Health Ministry's website.

"This will make your process even faster."

Sirjusingh said pregnant women will be observed for 20 minutes after being vaccinated before they can leave.

He said pregnant women being referred through the private sector do not need this form. Instead a doctor could write a letter confirming the patient has completed her first trimester and can take the Pfizer vaccine.

He said the decision to allow these women to access the Pfizer vaccine was taken after a virtual meeting on August 17 involving Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, the World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha), the Medical Association and other local obstreticians and gynaecologists .

On breastfeeding mothers asking if they could get separate doses of the Sinopharm and Pfizer vaccine, Sirjusingh said, 'The answer is no. We don't currently want to complicate matters. We are sticking to the original approval...Sinopharm is for those (women) who have already delivered and are currently breastfeeding."

"For those who go into pregnancy and they have had their first dose of Sinopharm, at this time, we are not allowing the mixing of vaccines. You are not going to be eligible for this programme."

For pregnant women under 18 who complete their first trimester and want to take the Pfizer vaccine, Sirjusingh said they require the consent of a parent or guardian before they can do so.

"We do have those. About 1.5 per cent of the population are under 18 years of age when they give birth."

He also said for those women who take their first dose of Pfizer at the end of pregnancy and are due their second dose after they have delivered their baby, "Of course you will be allowed to have your second dose of Pfizer after you have delivered.

"The vaccines are approved for breastfeeding."

Asked whether a woman taking the Pfizer vaccine before giving birth passes on any immunity, Sirjusingh said when the vaccine is administered, "The body gets rid of it very quickly, but the immune response continues and you make antibodies.

However, he pointed out, "The vaccine cannot pass across the placenta to the baby. So that's the first level of safety that we know about this vaccine."

So, he said, "When that baby is born..remember these young babies cannot be vaccinated but they can get covid19.

"So a mother who takes this vaccine is doing something tremendously important for that child."

When that mother is breastfeeding, Sirjusingh continued, "Antibodies will continue to go from mom to the baby, in the breast milk, and give added protection."

He said pregnant women who receive the Pfizer vaccine would experience short-term symptoms such as headaches or fatigue. He advised those who are eligible to take the Pfizer vaccine not to take advice from uninformed people on social media.

For women who are trying to get pregnant, Sirjusingh said they have other vaccines available to them, such as the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

"So please take those before you get pregnant as, especially if you are in a high-risk group as well and after delivery, you have the Sinopharm vaccine."

Sirjusingh previously said Sinopharm has been approved by the WHO to be used by mothers who are breastfeeding their babies.