Pregnant women are now part of the expanded A3 priority group for Covid-19 vaccination in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DoH) said on August 12. PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
Pregnant women are now part of the expanded A3 priority group for Covid-19 vaccination in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DoH) said on August 12.
In a statement, health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that based on the recommendation of local experts, Covid-19 vaccines are “generally safe” for pregnant women and that getting vaccinated against coronavirus is recommended during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
Vergeire added that “high-risk” pregnant women in their first trimester may also be vaccinated provided that benefits and risks were fully explained to them and upon securing medical clearance from their doctor.
“We will be revising our existing guidelines for pregnant women based on these recommendations and to indicate that they are now part of Expanded A3,” she said.
Vergeire noted that most of the Covid-19 vaccines authorised in the country are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The only vaccine that should not be given to pregnant women is the Russian-made Sputnik V.
The announcement from DoH comes after the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that pregnant women should be vaccinated against Covid-19, based on a new analysis that did not show an increased risk for miscarriage.
The Philippines has surpassed the 12-million mark in the number of persons already fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the Malacanang Presidential Palace said on August 12.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told a press briefing that 12,027,383 individuals have already been fully vaccinated in the country as of August 11.
Meanwhile, over 26.1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered, 14.1 million of which were given as a first dose.
Since February, the Philippines already received 39.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses – a mix of jabs procured by the government and donated by the Covax facility and other nations.
The most recent vaccine shipments delivered were the 100,000 doses of Sinopharm donated by the UAE and more than 800,000 Pfizer doses procured by the government.
PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
