EXPECTANT mother and Swan Hill District Health (SHDH) staff member Elise Kelly has no qualms about getting her Pfizer vaccine.
Pregnant women, regardless of age, are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and have been added to phase 1b as a priority for the jab rollout.
Ms Kelly has previously received the Pfizer vaccine at a Commonwealth vaccination clinic, for which she was eligible as a health sector worker.
“Access to real-world data from overseas reassured me that vaccination was safe during pregnancy,” she said.
“I knew getting vaccinated was the best way to protect myself and my baby.”
Ms Kelly said she felt lucky that her job made her eligible for the jab.
As soon Australia’s expert vaccine group ATAGI and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists officially recommended that women be offered the vaccine at any stage of pregnancy, she was “there ready to roll up my sleeve”.
Before that announcement, the advice had been that only “high-risk” women should consider getting the vaccine.
Doctors were told about the change to official medical advice on July 22, according to Lucas de Toca of the Department of Health.
“All pregnant women, regardless of their stage of pregnancy and whether they are eligible for other reasons or not, can access their vaccine through primary care channels,” Dr de Toca told a Senate committee.
SHDH said the vaccination was our ticket out of this pandemic and encouraged women who are eligible to book their appointment.
“We also know that at times depending on our supply of vaccines we need to limit appointments, if you aren’t able to book please check back another time,” an SHDH spokesperson said.
For more information and the link to book visit the website www.shdh.org.au/covid-19vaccination.
