‘Get vaccinated, even if you are pregnant’

PREGNANT women have been urged to protect themselves from Covid after it emerged more than 98 per cent of them admitted to intensive care with Covid-19 had not been vaccinated.

Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, cited the stark figures recorded between February and September during a Downing Street press conference.

While sharing the latest figures on Covid-19 in the UK, Prof Whitty, left, highlighted the issue around vaccinations among pregnant women and those intending to get pregnant, describing it as “of major concern”.

According to the data shared, between February and September 1,714 pregnant women were admitted to hospital with Covid-19. Of those, 1,681 had not been vaccinated.

In the same period, of the 235 pregnant women receiving treatment for Covid-10 in ICU, 232 were not vaccinated.

Prof Whitty said: “These are preventable admissions to ICU and there have been deaths.

“All the medical opinion is really clear that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks in every area..

“This is a universal view among doctors and among the midwife advisory groups and among the scientific advisory groups.”

While urging all those who are eligible to get the vaccine to do so, Prof Whitty also extended his advice for people to get the flu vaccination.

Local health bosses have called on those eligible for a free flu vaccine on the NHS to come forward, warning that a difficult winter is expected.