Pregnant women on Isle of Man urged to have Covid jab - Manx Care

The vaccine was first offered to pregnant women in April last year

Pregnant women on the Isle of Man have been urged to come forward for a Covid vaccination by the island's health care service.

They are eligible for autumn booster jabs, along with those aged over 50, carers and immunosuppressed people.

Manx Care has encouraged those "at an increased risk of severe outcomes" from the virus to accept the offer.

Those who want to have the vaccine have been asked to contact 111 helpline to book an appointment.

The vaccines were first made available to pregnant women in April 2021 in line with advice from the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Pregnancy was recognised as a Covid vaccine clinical risk category by the JCVI in December 2021.

A spokeswoman for Manx Care said: "Extensive real-world data has shown that vaccines are safe and highly effective for pregnant women.

"Vaccines represent the best way to help protect against severe Covid-19 infection in pregnancy for both women and babies, including admissions of women to intensive care, and cases of premature birth."