By Chantalé Fletcher
PREGNANT women beyond their first trimester will receive the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine.
This according to epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds during the Ministry of Health’s virtual press conference on Wednesday.
Dr Hinds was responding to a question from the media on the policy position on vaccinating pregnant women with the Pfizer vaccine.
He said, “There was meeting convened by the Minister of Health on Monday which included key stakeholders from all the regional health authorities (RHA’s), from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), from private obstetricians and gynecologists, neonatal, intensive care unit specialists and private and public Sectors.”
Dr Hinds added that the meeting was led by the Ministry of Health team, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram and the Director of Women’s Health Dr Adesh Sirjusingh.
He said, “That after reviewing the scientific information and presentations by PAHO – World Health Organization (WHO), there was universal consensus that the ministry is in a position to recommend the use of Pfizer vaccine for pregnant women beyond the first trimester of pregnancy.”
Dr Hinds stated that the additional details on the rollout, the communication plan, the way in which this will be executed will be brought forward by the Director of Women’s Health in a subsequent press conference.
However, he confirmed that a consensus has been reached moving towards the vaccination of pregnant women in the near future.
