A recent study by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) found that pregnant mothers were more reluctant to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the unpublished study titled Updated Guidance On Covid-19 Vaccines for Individuals Who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding found that expectant mothers were well below Canada’s average when it came to routine immunization.
“The uptake of Covid-19 vaccine has been lower among pregnant people compared to non-pregnant people in Canada,” wrote researchers.
“Preliminary unpublished evidence in Ontario indicates primary series vaccine coverage among pregnant people, 71 percent, was 16 percentage points lower than in the general female population of reproductive age.”
This comes despite the fact that health authorities have advised pregnant women to receive a Covid-19 booster.
“Pregnant persons vaccinated with an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy experience the same rates of expected local and systemic adverse events as non-pregnant persons,” wrote NACI.
“Vaccination during pregnancy does not increase the risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit admission or other adverse pregnancy or birth outcomes.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned last week that the pandemic wasn’t done with Canada yet until 80-90% of Canadians were up-to-date with their Covid booster shots.
“If we are able to hit that 80%, 85%, 90% of Canadians up-to-date in their vaccinations, we’ll have a much better winter with much less need for the kind of restrictions and rules that were so problematic for everyone over the past years,” said Trudeau.
Currently, 82% of Canadians have received their primary series or two shots of a Covid-19 vaccine. Only 50% have received one booster dose while 12% are fully up-to-date with their boosters.
NACI recently stated that Canadians should be recommended a Covid-19 booster every three months to hold the virus back.
“A shorter interval of at least three months may be warranted in the context of heightened epidemiological risk as well as operational considerations for the efficient deployment of the Covid-19 vaccination program,” wrote NACI on Sept. 1.
