The Saolta Group have confirmed to local TD and Minister for State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, that they have begun contacting pregnant women in order to arrange vaccination appointments.
Minister Naughton said this morning (Thursday ) that she knows from the volume of women contacting her office that any delay in receiving the vaccine was a very real concern.
‘I discussed the matter with the Minister for Health and the Saolta Group and am pleased to have been informed that midwives have commenced contacting pregnant women registered with maternity services in the region in order to discuss their vaccination and arrange appointments,” Minister Naughton said.
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“It was agreed by cabinet some weeks ago that the vaccine was to be made available to mothers-to-be who are between 14 and 36-weeks’ gestation. While I very much appreciate that it takes time to put in the administrative arrangements to contact all expectant mothers, any delay in implementation was very much adding to the stress of pregnancy during a pandemic,” the local TD added.
“Saolta inform me that they are first making contact with those expectant mothers who are closest to the 36 week cut off point to ensure they are vaccinated first and will work through all the other women as quickly as possible. They will be informed of the vaccination process and an appointment made for them at their nearest vaccination centre which, in the case of Galway, is the Racecourse.
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“The HSE has indicated that recent reports have shown that pregnant women pass on antibodies from the vaccine. This may help to protect their babies after birth. The vaccines are not live vaccines, so they cannot infect either mother or baby with Covid-19. The vaccines are rapidly broken down in the body and cannot become part of your or your baby’s DNA,” the Minister noted.
“I know from talking the constituents concerned how stressful waiting for news of their vaccination was. I am therefore pleased to be able to bring some clarity to the situation,” she concluded.
