Taking the COVID jab is still a worrying decision for any pregnant woman or breastfeeding mother. However, the health ministry says there haven’t been any reports of serious adverse effects from anyone in the category who decided to get vaccinated. More than 8,000 breastfeeding and pregnant women have received the Covishield vaccine in the country so far.
With most studies not including pregnant and breastfeeding women in the clinical trials, lack of data created confusion on whether it was safe for women in such conditions to get the jab.
In the country, many were unsure if they were even eligible for the jab until the government announced it was up to the individual if they wanted to get vaccinated or not. Since then, thousands of breastfeeding and pregnant women have come forward.
Dawa Dem is a breastfeeding mother and has a one-year-old child. She received the COVID vaccine during the nationwide vaccine roll out and says she hasn’t had any problems so far.
“After getting the jab I was normal and I even came to the office. As soon as I reached home and after taking nap the side effect took off. For one night and half day, I got mild symptoms like headache and fatigue and then I felt normal because everyone gets that. And after the second day, I was back to normal,” she said.
She added that by weighing the risks and the benefits, it seems wise for women such as herself to get the jab.
“Of course it is a privilege as it is free of cost gifted by HisMajesty The King and as I am working in the banking sector, I found my area as a risky area as we have to deal with many kinds of clients. Therefore, if I come across an infected person, it will put myself as well as my daughter into a difficult situation that’s why I took the vaccine.”
The health ministry says they are still carrying out the vaccinations.
Sita Gurung, also a mother of a one-year-old came to get her first jab at one of the vaccine centres in Thimphu.
“At first, I was worried thinking about the side effects and how it would affect my baby. However, my friends got vaccinated despite having to breastfeed their babies as well and they told me there weren’t any serious adverse reactions. That’s why I decided to come,” she said.
Meanwhile, a recent news article by the BBC says that data from the US on using Pfizer and Moderna to around 90,000 pregnant women has not raised any safety concerns. However, although there is no data on the Covishield in pregnancy, more evidence will be forthcoming in the future.
Kinzang Lhadon
