The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant people get vaccinated against Covid-19, following a preliminary CDC report that found no evidence that either Pfizer and Moderna doses pose risks during pregnancy.
CDC Director Rochelle Walesnky announced on Friday that “no safety concerns were observed for people vaccinated in the third trimester or safety concerns for their babies.”
“As such, CDC recommends that pregnant people receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” she said.
The report was published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
A survey among more than 35,000 people who were pregnant or were soon becoming pregnant was taken during the first 11 weeks of the US vaccine rollout from mid-December through February.
Recommended
Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine was not included in the study, during which that vaccine was not yet available, though federal health authorities have currently paused its use after an exceedingly small number of people experienced blood clots.
A CDC panel is meeting on Friday to review the latest findings about the rare side effects of the drug.
The CDC has previously advised that pregnant people are more at risk to develop severe illness from Covid-19, including higher risk of hospitalisation and death.
Roughly 52 per cent of adults across the US have had at least one shot, and more than 80 per cent of people aged 65 years and older have at least one shot. Roughly 66 per cent of seniors have been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
President Joe Biden is calling on US employers to offer paid sick leave for people to get their shots, as the White House public health officials acknowledge an initial rush among people who were eager to get their shots followed by a drop in demands while the administration focuses on expanding accessibility and addressing hesitancy.
Mr Biden has proposed tax credits for small- and medium-sized businesses for “any time off needed to get vaccinated and for any time it takes to recover” after receiving a shot, the White House announced on Wednesday.
The paid leave tax credit will be offered to businesses with up to 500 employees for up to $511 per day. It will be offered through 30 September as part of the American Rescue Plan.
“Providing paid time off for vaccinations is an investment in the safety, productivity and health of an employer’s own workforce and their community,” the White House announced. “No working person in this country should lose a single dollar from their paycheck to take time to get the shot or recover from it.”
The announcement comes as the administration reached 200 million shots within his first 100 days in office.
