— pregnant women encouraged to get vaccinated

FOUR pregnant patients at the Obstetric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) have been diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus, and are currently being treated accordingly. This was confirmed by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who explained that the virus was detected after the women were made to undergo a routine check-up, which, due to the pandemic, has now evolved to include the COVID-19 test.
“So, mothers would come in and we [would] administer the COVID test just to make sure. And sometimes we find that mothers who are ready to give birth also tested positive, so, we have to take precautions to make sure and also to reduce spread among the nursing staff and other patients within the wards,” Dr. Anthony said in his July 22 COVID-19 update.

He told the government’s Department of Public Information that after testing positive for COVID-19, the women were removed from the hospital’s general ward and taken into isolation.
Asked specifically whether a pregnant and/or breastfeeding person can take the locally available COVID-19 vaccines, Minister Anthony responded in the positive. He said definitively that mothers, expectant or breastfeeding, would not be affected if they take any of the COVID-19 vaccines. “The advice has been that during pregnancy you can take the vaccine; however, it is better if those persons who have any doubt, to consult with their obstetrician to just make sure that they have that discussion. And I’m sure the obstetrician would be able to clarify or clear any doubts that they may have.

Similarly, mothers who are breastfeeding can continue to do so, it is safe to do it. We encourage pregnant women to get their vaccines. We encourage mothers who are breastfeeding to get their vaccines, there is no adverse outcome,” Dr. Anthony insisted.
He indicated that given the number of births taking place annually, it is important for expectant mothers to safeguard themselves against the virus. According to the minister, approximately 12,000 to 14,000 births take place each year, with at least 8,000 occurring at GPHC alone.
The minister also gave a breakdown of the COVID-19 hospitalisation, which accounts for 74 persons countrywide. Of that figure, 53 of the patients are confined to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, while 15 are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit, including one child. The others are isolated at regional hospitals throughout the country.
As it is, Dr. Anthony related that some 244,365 persons or 50.2 per cent of the country’s adult population have taken their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 129,361 persons or 26.6 per cent of the adult population have been fully vaccinated with both ‘jabs’.
In addition to encouraging the vaccination of pregnant persons, the Government of Guyana has been working to secure the Pfizer vaccine, so that Guyanese children can also become immunised against the deadly virus that continues to devastate the entire world, already taking millions of lives, and destabilising many sectors.