Publish date: 21 December 2021

Northumbria midwives are supporting the COVID-19 booster programme for pregnant

Northumbria midwives are supporting the COVID-19 booster programme for pregnant people following the latest JCVI announcement.

Pregnant people have been made a priority group for vaccination following research showing they are vulnerable to more serious illness and pregnancy complications if they are infected with COVID-19.

The vaccines watchdog, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), announced on Thursday 16 December that those who are pregnant would be moved into priority group 6 alongside adults under the age of 65 who have long-term health conditions, and urged them to get first and second doses and booster jabs as soon as possible.

Midwives from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are holding vaccination clinics in Northumberland and North Tyneside and will be answering people’s questions and queries surrounding the COVID vaccination and pregnancy.

Since 10 August 2021, over 200 pregnant or breastfeeding people in Northumberland and North Tyneside have accepted the vaccine after speaking to one of the local midwives. To further support this, the trust is holding clinics at North Tyneside General Hospital and Wansbeck General Hospital.

Tuesday 21 Dec 9am – 12noon NTGH Antenatal Clinic

Thursday 30 Dec 9am – 12noon NTGH Antenatal Clinic

Other sites who are welcoming pregnant walk ins are:

Oxford Centre, Benton:

Wednesday 22 December 2021

9am – 5pm

Thursday 23 December 2021

9am – 1pm

Tuesday 28 December 2021

9am – 1pm

Royal Quays Shopping Centre, North Shields:

Tuesday 21 December 2021

9am – 5pm

Wednesday 22 December 2021

9am – 5pm

Thursday 23 December 2021

9am – 5pm

Village Surgery, Cramlington

9am – 7pm

Carla Anderson, Public Health Midwife at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “We understand how complex the messaging has been around pregnant people and the COVID vaccine. As we have learnt more since the development of the vaccine, it is now clear that there is a real benefit for those pregnant people who receive their jab. We absolutely support the JCVI’s decision to classify pregnant people as vulnerable – there has been a lot of hesitancy around the vaccination but it has been proven that getting the Covid-19 vaccination is the best way to protect you and your baby from the effects of the disease. Please don’t delay in getting yours.”

The JCVI’s decision was underpinned by research from the University of Oxford showing that women in the later stages of pregnancy and their babies were at increased risk if they became infected.

The research found that 17 pregnant women died during the Delta wave of the pandemic – a 50% increase in maternal mortality compared with usual. It also found that of 1,436 pregnant women admitted to hospital during the Delta wave, 33% required respiratory support, about 2% had a stillbirth, 2% had pregnancy loss and about one in five had a preterm birth. Nearly 96% of these women were unvaccinated.