The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested that COVID-19 vaccine should be given to pregnant women as it can protect them from the infection.
“The Ministry of Health has given the guidelines that vaccines can be given to pregnant women. Vaccination is useful in pregnant women, and it should be given,” Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR said while addressing a media briefing on COVID-19 today June 25.
The government will soon release the guidelines for vaccination of pregnant women against coronavirus. So far, only lactating women were recommended to take the COVID vaccine in India.
Also Read: COVID19 vaccination recommended for all lactating women: Health Ministry
Last week, a study by the ICMR revealed that pregnant and postpartum women were more severely affected during the second wave in the country as compared to the first wave.
Whether children should be administered COVID vaccines in the country, the director general said: “In terms of children, it is still debatable. There is only one country in the world that is giving vaccinations to children at the moment.”
“Till such time, we have more data on vaccination of children, we would not be in a position to vaccinate children at large. However, we have started a study on children between 2 years to 18 years and we will have a result on it by September,” he added.
Also Read: Bharat Biotech starts clinical trials of Covaxin on children at AIIMS in Patna, Bihar
