Covid-19 Vaccine in Pregnancy: Don’t Forget Pregnant Women and People Seeking Asylum

Abstract

Pregnant women and people are at an increased risk of severe disease and pregnancy complications if they contract severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2). In April 2021, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised this group to take the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines; however, recent data from Public Health England (PHE) indicate that this population are vaccine-hesitant. As midwives urge this cohort to get vaccinated, consideration should be given to pregnant women and people seeking asylum so that they are not left out. This population experience significant health and social inequities, which place them at a higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19. This article considers the risk factors for infection, and the barriers and facilitators for COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy. This article uses the term ‘pregnant women and people seeking asylum’ as it focuses on the people seeking asylum and not their status.