Pregnant women prioritised for Covid jab in Wales, says Health Minister

Pregnant women are being prioritised for Covid-19 jabs in Wales, the Health Minister has said.

Eluned Morgan said that “getting their first, second and booster dose” of the vaccination is “one of the most important things” a mother to be can do to “protect themselves and their unborn baby against coronavirus”.

She pointed to new advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which “reinforces this message”.

The minister warned that pregnant women are “considered as a clinical risk group”. She is worried about the low number of pregnant women coming forward to be vaccinated.

The Welsh Government has been ramping up its vaccine rollout amid fears about the wave of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Eluned Morgan said: “For any mother to be, getting their first, second and booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is one of the most important things they can do to protect themselves and their unborn baby against coronavirus and, particularly against the new omicron variant.

“We have been encouraging pregnant women to have their Covid-19 vaccinations for some time. New advice from Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) reinforces this message.

“The number of pregnant women coming forward for vaccination has been lower than we would want it to be, and this places mothers and their babies at risk.

“Based on the data about safety, together with the increased risk from Covid-19 the JCVI has advised that pregnant women should be considered as a clinical risk group and prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination.

“We strongly encourage all mothers to contact their health boards to make an appointment to have their first or second dose if they have not yet been vaccinated. Women waiting for a booster will be contacted by their health board.”