Covid: Pregnant women offered vaccine on Isle of Man

Pregnant women will now be offered the vaccine along with others in their age group

Pregnant women are to be offered a coronavirus vaccination on the Isle of Man, the health minister has confirmed.

Until now only those at high risk of infection have been advised to get the jab.

It brings the island into line with the UK after updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Pregnant women will now be offered the vaccine along with others in their age group.

The JCVI advises that women who are pregnant should all be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines where available, at the same time as the rest of the population.

Health Minister David Ashford said the government had "carefully considered the new advice" before making the decision.

"Vaccines are saving thousands of lives and so it is important as many people as possible take up the offer when it is their turn," he added.

More than 52,000 adults on the island have now received at least one dose of the vaccine.