Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University recently issued the following announcement.
“When it comes to pregnancy and vaccinations, the data is clear,” according to Virginia Tech epidemiologist, Rachel Silverman. “We’ve seen an increase in COVID complications, especially among unvaccinated women, and recent hospitalization data indicated that 97% of pregnant people who are hospitalized with confirmed COVID infections were not vaccinated.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a call for “urgent action” to increase coronavirus vaccinations among people who are pregnant.
“We know that the risks of COVID-19 infections are very well documented. We’ve had that data for quite a while. Those who are pregnant have a much higher risk for severe illness, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, along with pregnancy complications like premature birth, Preeclampsia, and stillbirth,” she said. “They are also more likely among those who are infected than those who are not infected.”
Silverman is a research scientist in epidemiology in the Virginia Tech Center for Public Health Practice and Research housed in the Department of Population Health Sciences in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Her research includes infectious disease and maternal and reproductive health.
Silverman is currently expecting her second child, was vaccinated and plans to get the Pfizer booster as soon as it’s available.
“I’ll definitely be taking that booster to help both protect me – make sure that I’m still protected and to also to help boost those maternal antibodies for my child, so when they are born they have those maternal antibodies, to help protect them during that newborn stage as well. I’ll also probably get my flu shot at the same time.”
“I totally understand some people are on the fence with this. We need to keep balancing the risks of the vaccines which are extremely low to the risks of getting infected during that vulnerable time, when you are at higher risks for these complications.”
Silverman Bio
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