In a major move, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has announced the launch of vaccination drive for pregnant women in the emirate to protect them against COVID-19. Effective June 29, all DHA vaccination centres across the emirate will administer the COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women.

The authority has noted that pre-registration and booking an appointment is required before the vaccination. Recipients can make the booking through DHA’s smart application or by sending a WhatsApp message on 800342.

In this regard, Dr. Muna Tahlak, CEO of Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, said that the authority is continuously expanding its efforts to provide vaccination to all eligible segments and social categories in Dubai in line with the national inoculation campaign launched by the UAE leadership on December 23, 2020.

"Including pregnant women in the vaccination campaign will shield them from risks of infection and enhance overall levels of protection in the community," she said.

She further hailed the vaccination campaign as a major step in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

DHA has noted that an adequate number of doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been reserved to inoculate pregnant women across the emirate against COVID-19.

Dr. Tahlak has urged all pregnant women, especially those with underlying health issues, to consult their doctors and medical specialists before taking the vaccine to ensure safety.

Asserting that the vaccine will be administered in two doses, the DHA has recommended pregnant women to take the vaccine after the first 13 weeks of their pregnancy.

WAM