All pregnant women who are 16 and over in BC are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as a priority population.
“All Health Canada-approved vaccines are safe and effective, and I encourage everyone to register and receive their vaccine as soon as they are eligible. Today, this includes people who are pregnant,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer.
“We have reviewed the data here in BC and this shows pregnant people experience severe illness from COVID-19 at a rate that is similar to people who are in their 50s. By prioritizing pregnant people today, we add another layer of protection for them, their babies and their communities.”
To book a vaccine, people who are pregnant can:
- Register online if they have not done so already
- Phone 1-833-838-2323 and identify as being pregnant. Online booking for pregnant people is not available.
“We are fortunate to have had the ability to track data across Canada to better understand the real impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy,” said Dr. Deborah Money, BC Women’s Hospital, Provincial Health Services Authority.
“My hope is that knowing vaccines are safe and effective at any point in pregnancy will encourage those who are currently pregnant to take the opportunity to get vaccinated.”
A study conducted by the US Center for Disease Control found no safety concerns associated with Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations given to women during their third trimester.
Today, in an interview with CBC’s Power & Politics, BioNTech CEO and co-founder Dr. Uğur Şahin, said their vaccine is currently going through clinical trials.
“We are at the moment doing a clinical try to assess the safety of our vaccine in pregnant women,” said Dr. Şahin.
According to Dr. Şahin, trials have concluded on pregnant women in their third trimester that there is no indication of risk of birth.
“Any decision for taking the vaccine should be aligned with the physician, measuring risk benefit data,” SAID Dr. Şahin.
A new study released last week showed protected antibodies are transmitted through breast milk to the infant as well.
Registration is now open for all people 18 and over in British Columbia. Anyone 50 and over who have registered can expect to start receiving email and text notifications to book vaccine appointments beginning on the following days:
- Tuesday, May 4th: 52+ (1969 or earlier)
- Thursday, May 6th: 50+ (1971 or earlier)
As of May 4th, , more than 1.8 million people in the province have received their first vaccine dose, with that number increasing every day.
