The Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy
I would like to have a baby one day. Is it safe for me to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
- Yes. People who are trying to become pregnant now or who plan to try in the future may receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
- Based on what we know right now, experts believe that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for someone who is trying to become pregnant in the short or long term.
- There is no evidence that fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine.
Should someone who is pregnant or breastfeeding get a COVID-19 vaccine?
- Getting vaccinated is a personal choice for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- We recommend that COVID-19 vaccines be offered to pregnant and breastfeeding individuals when they are eligible.
- We do know that getting sick with COVID-19 during pregnancy can increase the risk of severe illness and might increase the risk of outcomes like preterm birth.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe for children?
- The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people ages 16 and older.
- FDA granted emergency use authorization for ages 12-15
- Trials are ongoing for kids under 12.
Will a COVID-19 vaccine change my DNA?
- No. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
- Messenger RNA vaccines—also called mRNA vaccines — teach our immune system how to fight against a specific virus.
- In order to do its job, the mRNA from a COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t need to go inside the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept. This means the mRNA never interacts with our DNA in any way and has no way to change it.
It is safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine even if you have had COVID-19?
- Even if you have had COVID-19, it is important to get vaccinated. It could give you longer or better protection against the disease
- Even if you have positive antibodies, you should get the COVID-19 vaccine
Vaccines
- no vaccine is 100% effective against preventing COVID-19.
- Getting COVID while fully vaccinated does not give the vaccine a bad name!
- Despite being vaccinated, there is always a small chance that one could still get infected as has happened to me.
- Despite being vaccinated, there is also always a small chance that one can still transmit COVID to someone else – again – as has happened to me.
- However – the real benefit and protection of the vaccine come in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
Which vaccine should I take?
- Take the first one offered to you.
- Both vaccines do the same thing.
- Pfizer vaccine more protective
- Pfizer – 56 days from the first dose until fully vaccinated
- J&J – 14 days
What about people who have died after taking the vaccine?
- Just because there is a temporal (time) association with the vaccine, does not mean a causal association.
- USA:
- 369 million doses (up till 30th August)
- 7,218 reports of deaths (0,0020%)
- No causal link found
What about people who have died after taking the vaccine?
- Just because there is a temporal (time) association with the vaccine, does not mean a causal association.
- SA:
- 7 million doses (between 17th May and 31st July)
- 53 reported deaths (0,0007%)
- 6 died of COVID
- 5 – insufficient information
- Remaining all coincidental to the vaccine (existing illness before taking the vaccine)
- No link found to the vaccine
What about blood clots?
- Few cases identified after J&J
- More common in women 18-59 years, within 2 weeks of the vaccine
- The risk of clots due to COVID-19 infection is 8 to 10 times higher than the risk of clots from the vaccine
Booster doses
- This does not mean the vaccines are not working
- Protection after vaccination may decrease over time (waning immunity)
- Because of new variants, we may have reduced protection against mild and moderate disease.
- Booster dose will maintain protection
5 reasons to take the Vaccine
- It works – safe and effective
- It protects –
- You – from serious illness, hospitalization, and death
- Your family and loved ones
- You need it – comorbidities
- Obesity, HT, Diabetes
- Herd immunity
- Return to normal
- It’s free
- It’s the right thing to do!