All deputy directors (DDs) of health services have been instructed to take steps to improve COVID-19 vaccination coverage among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, in a communication to all DDs and the city health officer of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), instructed them to take necessary steps for vaccinating all pregnant women and lactating mothers, who opt for COVID-19 vaccination, after providing counselling on its advantages.
He said that the State’s target for antenatal women was 10.11 lakh for 2021-2022 and 10 lakh for 2022-2023. As of July 22, 6,55,552 pregnant women and 5,18,844 lactating mothers have been vaccinated. Noting that vaccination for pregnant women began a year ago, he said around 54,628 pregnant women and around 39,910 lactating mothers were vaccinated per month in the State. The DPH clarified that the ‘Operational Guidelines for COVID-19 Vaccination to Pregnant Women’, issued earlier, indicated that a pregnant woman who opts for COVID-19 vaccination may be vaccinated at any time of the pregnancy.
All other contraindications for the general public hold good for pregnant women too, he said.
