COVID-19: Pregnant and breastfeeding women given green light to get vaccine

The Health Department on Saturday announced that pregnant and breastfeeding women are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

In a significant development, the department issued a circular declaring that pregnant women who have completed 14 weeks of gestation can be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines available in the country.

The government’s vaccine programme had initially excluded pregnant and lactating women due to a lack of data from the initial COVID-19 vaccine trials.

However, health officials have had to re-evaluate the country’s vaccine strategy with the Delta variant spreading rapidly.

The department’s Chief Director Lesley Bamford said although pregnant women were at no greater risk of being infected by COVID-19, a woman and her infant were more likely to develop complications from the virus: “The current recommendations are that COVID-19 vaccines, including the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, should be offered to all pregnant and breastfeeding women who are eligible to be vaccinated and who have completed 14 weeks of gestation.”

-EWN

In other news – Pretty (Lerato Marabe) from Skeem Saam sets the record straight – Denies being married

Skeem Saam’s Lerato Marabe refutes claims she’s married on Sports At 10. She says she was attending a friend’s wedding. Actress Lerato Marabe, who is known for her role as Pretty Seakamela on Skeem Saam, has put cold water to rumours that she is married.

Marabe, who appeared on SABC1’s show Sport At 10 with Thomas Mlambo. However, she said that she was a guest at a friend’s wedding and was not getting married as reported by the media. Learn More