Dubai allows women breastfeeding, planning to get pregnant to get mRNA vaccine

Dubai allows women breastfeeding, planning to get pregnant to get mRNA vaccine
April 17, 2021, 8:54 am

A handout picture taken by the Government of Dubai Media Office on December 23, 2020, shows a health worker administering a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a medical center in the Dubai Emirate. (AFP)

Dubai has expanded the eligibility criteria for the mRNA Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to include women who are breastfeeding and those planning to get pregnant, the emirate’s media office announced on Saturday.

“Clinical studies show that the mRNA vaccine is safe for women who are breastfeeding or planning to conceive unless the patient has certain medical contraindications to vaccines or any vaccine component,” Dr. Muna Tahlak, CEO of Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, was quoted as saying.

“Mothers who are breastfeeding can now take an mRNA vaccine as per the latest DHA vaccine guidelines. There is no need to stop breastfeeding before or after vaccination,” she added.

https://twitter.com/DXBMediaOffice/status/1383359428569694213

Meanwhile, patients who were infected with COVID-19 no longer need to wait three months to be vaccinated if they have completed their isolation period, according to the media office. Only those who had a mild or asymptomatic infection are eligible.

https://twitter.com/DXBMediaOffice/status/1383359433003077633

“Any patient who had an active COVID-19 infection must wait until the completion of the isolation period to be vaccinated” Dr. Farida Al Khaja, Chairperson of the COVID-19 Vaccination Steering Committee was quoted as saying.

“If the infection was moderate or severe and required hospitalization, the timeframe for vaccination after infection will depend on the decision of the medical team that treated the patient. However, all mild cases or cases without symptoms can take the vaccine after completing the isolation period,” she added.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently reduced the age requirement to 16 from 18 for those wishing to be vaccinated against the virus.