67% of antenatal mothers receive COVID-19 jabs in Coimbatore district

A total of 67% of antenatal mothers in Coimbatore district received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, according to the Health Department.

Antenatal mothers was one of the sections targeted by the department during the mass vaccination drive against COVID-19 as complications of the disease can pose threat to mother and child.

P. Aruna, Deputy Director of Health Services, told The Hindu on Saturday that the department initially identified the number of antenatal mothers for the drive.

A total of 33,813 antenatal mothers were identified in the district of which 22,476 received their first dose vaccine as on Friday. A majority of these women will have their second dose vaccine soon.

Most of the antenatal mothers preferred Covishield. The department was recommending Covaxin for women who are in the last trimester of their pregnancy as it has a short window between the first and second doses and they will get both doses of the vaccine before delivery.

According to Dr. Aruna, COVID-19 pneumonia is one of the main risk factors for antenatal mothers due to their immunity-compromised state during pregnancy. Women who have complications during pregnancy are also in the risk category.

“Vaccinating them during the pregnancy can save them and the babies from the complications of COVID-19,” said Dr. Aruna.

She said that obstetrics and gynaecology departments in private hospitals were also instructed to urge their antenatal mothers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The Joint Director of Health Services was coordinating these activities.

Dr. Aruna said that 80% of postnatal mothers identified by the department in the district also received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 16,547 out of the 20,681 postnatal mothers, with babies aged up to five months, identified by the department in the district were vaccinated as of Friday.

She added that Coimbatore district was getting adequate doses of vaccines with which the department intensified the mass vaccination drive in the district.

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