The Department for Health and Social Care do not appear to be
collecting data on how many pregnant women are vaccinated, Labour
reveals today (Saturday), calling for action to increase vaccine
take up as restrictions lift and cases of Covid increase
drastically.
After a shocking survey of 9000 pregnant women revealed that just
21% are fully vaccinated and 41% have not had a single dose of
the vaccine despite Covid posing a serious risk to mother and
child during pregnancy, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary and
Shadow Secretary for Women and Equalities have demanded that
government:
· Collect and publish data on the number of pregnant women
receiving their first and second doses.
· Undertake a communications campaign to tackle vaccine hesitancy
among pregnant women and ensure they have the information they
need to make decisions on vaccines.
· Publish guidance for midwives and maternity staff on vaccine
safety and ensure that all pregnant women are given information
about the vaccine and where to access it at midwifery
appointments.
· Equip all health professionals and vaccine staff with up to
date information on vaccine safety for pregnant women.
· Update the Working Safely During Covid-19 guidance to
ensure that pregnant women still have a right to remote working
and, are enabled to socially distance should they choose to
attend a workplace. If this is not possible then they must be
suspended from work on full pay, in line with existing health and
safety regulations.
MP, Labour’s Shadow Women and Equalities
Secretary, said:
“Throughout the pandemic, pregnant women and new mothers have
been neglected time and again by Boris Johnson’s government. The
failure to support pregnant women to take up the vaccine is yet
another example of the government’s callous disregard for
Labour’s Equality Act.
“As cases rise and the government recklessly lift all
restrictions, they must take drastic action to increase vaccine
take-up among pregnant women starting with collecting and
publishing data and rolling out a communications campaign to
encourage take-up.”
Ends
Notes to editors
· A poll conducted by Pregnant Then Screwed with over 9,000
pregnant women on Friday 9th July found that 41% have not had a
single dose of the vaccine. Only 21% have had two doses of the
vaccine. The survey also found that 75% feel anxious for their
safety now that restrictions have been lifted.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/13/mixed-advice-driving-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-in-pregnant-uk-women
· Pregnancy and maternity are a protected characteristic under
Labour’s 2010 Equality Act. DHSC publishes vaccine data on other
protected characteristics including sex, age and ethnicity but,
in a written parliamentary question on 19 July 2021, appeared to
suggest data was not available by pregnancy. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-07-13/32510
· The ONS vaccine hesitancy data on pregnancy for 17 January – 7
February 2021 stated that: Of all adults that reported negative
sentiment towards the vaccine, around 1 in 10 (11%) women
reported "I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant and afraid of
the effects on my baby". This data is not available in the latest
release in July 2021. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandvaccinehesitancygreatbritain/13januaryto7february2021
