Ministry Of Health Gives Permission For Pregnant Women To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19

ILLUSTRATION/PIXABAY

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has given permission to pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent the risk of experiencing severe symptoms.

"Pregnant women are one of the groups that are very at risk when exposed to COVID-19. In recent times, it was reported that a number of pregnant women who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 experienced severe symptoms and even died," said Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Between, Monday, August 2nd.

To protect pregnant women and their babies from COVID-19 infection, said Widya, the Ministry of Health has ensured that it will immediately provide COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women.

Widya said the provision of COVID-19 vaccination targeting pregnant women had also been recommended by the National Immunization Expert Advisory Committee (ITAGI).

This policy is contained in Circular HK.02.01/I/2007/2021 concerning COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women and Screening Adjustments in the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination, which was signed by the Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control Maxi Rein Rondonuwu on August 2 2021.

With the issuance of this regulation, said Widya, the Ministry of Health instructs all Heads of Provincial Health Offices, Heads of Regency/City Health Offices, and heads of health service facilities that carry out COVID-19 vaccinations, to immediately start vaccinating pregnant women, especially in areas with high transmission rates. COVID-19 cases are high.

The regulation also explains that vaccination for pregnant women is included in special criteria. Therefore, the process of skinning/screening of the health status of the target before vaccination is carried out in more detail than other targets.

"The screening format on the control card for pregnant women has also been prepared by the Ministry of Health," he said.

Widya added that vaccination for pregnant women will use the mRNA platform COVID-19 vaccine, namely Pfizer and Moderna, as well as the Sinovac inactivated platform vaccine. "Of course it will be adjusted to the type of vaccine available in Indonesia," he said.

The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will start to be given in the second trimester of pregnancy, and the second dose will be given according to the interval of the type of vaccine, said Widya.

Just like the implementation of vaccination for other targets, the government will carry out monitoring to find out if there are any side effects that arise from giving the COVID-19 vaccine to pregnant women.

In order to anticipate the occurrence of Post-Immunization Adverse Events (KIPI), said Widya, at every vaccination card post, there is a contact number that can be contacted if there are complaints from vaccination recipients or can also report through the safety of vaccines.kemkes.go.id.

"The government will also bear the cost of treating the COVID-19 vaccine AEFIs that require treatment at health facilities in accordance with medical indications and treatment protocols," he said.