“The Ministry of Health has issued guidelines that covid-19 vaccine can be given to the pregnant women. The vaccine is useful for the pregnant women and it should be given,” said Dr Balram Bhargava, Director-General at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said while addressing a press conference.

However, NTAGI recommended the following safety precautions for pregnant women:

1. They should be fully informed that “the long-term adverse reactions and the safety of the vaccine for foetus and child are not yet established.”
2.  It is recommended that they follow the 30 minutes of in-hospital observation rule post-vaccination.
3.  The vaccine may be provided at any time during pregnancy

While the approval for vaccinating pregnant women has been given, the Union government also said that pregnant women should be fully informed that long-term adverse reactions and safety of the vaccine for fetus and child (has) not yet (been) established.”

Several doctors said that they were seeing more pregnant women get COVID-19 in the second wave of the pandemic than the first. Several doctors also pointed out how pregnant women were at risk of more severe COVID-19 disease.

Meanwhile, doubts continue about vaccinating those below 18 years of age until relevant data is made available. Presently, Bharat Bitotech, which makes Covaxin, is conducting vaccine trials on children between two and 18 years of age.