The World Health Organization says pregnant women should not take the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, at least for now.
“While pregnancy puts women at higher risk for severe COVID-19, the use of this vaccine in pregnant women is currently not recommended,” the WHO said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.
However, the WHO said that the Moderna vaccine is still recommended for pregnant women who are “at risk of being exposed to a lot” – such as health workers.
Kate O’Brien, director of the WHO vaccination, maintained confidence that there were no problems with the vaccine and pregnant women, but acknowledged that more information was needed, according to a Reuters report.
The WHO says that anyone who may be allergic to one of the ingredients of the vaccine should not take this or any other mRNA vaccine. “
“Although vaccination for the elderly is recommended due to the high risk of severe COVID-19 and death, many debilitated elderly people with a life expectancy of less than 3 months should be assessed individually,” the WHO said.
The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommends that the second intake of the Moderna vaccine be administered within 28 days, but notes that the interval between doses can be extended to 42 days, according to the WHO’s website.
“Compliance with the full schedule is recommended and the same product should be used for both doses,” the WHO said.
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Spencer Kent can be reached at [email protected].