Getting the Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy is ‘a very good thing to do for your new born baby’, according to new data revealed by Professor Chris Whitty.
Speaking at the Downing Street conference where Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined his 'Living with Covid' plan, the Chief Medical Officer answered a question from a member of the public who had concerns over getting the jab whilst pregnant.
“As a pregnant woman I’m told by the NHS website that I’m more likely to suffer a serious illness if I catch Covid, and in the third trimester it could also affect my baby.
Chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, to outline the Government's new long-term Covid-19 plan.
Tolga Akmen
“With the plans to remove Covid restrictions being brought forward, what are the suggestions women like me and other clinically vulnerable people?
“For the sake of removing social distancing and masks, are we effectively being told to stay inside and remove ourselves from the world?”
Responding to the question, Boris Johnson said people should treat vulnerable people “with the utmost consideration”.
The Prime Minister also promised that those people would be given access to Covid tests.
Professor Whitty then responded, urging those who have yet to be jabbed to do so.
“It is really clear now that vaccination in pregnancy is a very good thing to do for you, a very good thing to do for your unborn baby, and in new data demonstrating that it’s actually a very good thing to do for your new-born baby.
“There is now data that shows that it provides protection for new-borns. It’s protecting both you and your born.
“I would really really want to use this opportunity to encourage anybody who is pregnancy and is not vaccinated please to do so.”
The Prime Minister added: “There was a folklore against vaccination for pregnant women, and that was not right at all.”