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More pregnant women, new mothers becoming seriously ill with COVID-19

Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie
 
The Ministry of Health is reporting an increase in the number of pregnant women and women who recently gave birth being hospitalised in serious condition after testing positive for the coronavirus.
 
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie made the disclosure at a media briefing on Thursday evening, pointing out that the increased occurrences are being reported at both private and public health facilities. 
 
Dr. Bisasor McKenzie said efforts are now being made to get more pregnant women to take the COVID-19 vaccine since they are at risk of having a more severe outcome if they catch the virus and their unborn child could also be affected. 
 
Vaccination rate low 
 
The Chief Medical Officer said Jamaica's COVID vaccination rate remains low, with just 12.3 per cent of the population now fully vaccinated. 
 
Another 8.2 per cent of people have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 
 
"Right across the country, the overall numbers is that just under 80 per cent of persons have still not even received one dose and these persons must come out," she urged. 
 
She added: "We have a lot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines in stock and several persons are taking it now, and with just one dose we can move that needle and put us in a safer place for the Christmas season."  
 
The Health Ministry has announced that there will be a vaccination blitz this weekend. 
 
Hospitalisations still high
 
Dr. Bisasor McKenzie said although COVID-19 cases continue to decline, hospitalisations and the positivity rate for the virus are still high.
 
She pointed out that more than 500 hospital beds are still occupied with COVID-19 patients but the ministry is aiming for this to decrease to about 200.
 
Although the positivity rate is trending down, the CMO lamented that it was still high, at "just under 20 per cent". "We want to get to five per cent to be in a that green area," she noted. 
 
However, she said the reproductive rate is decreasing, which is "a very positive trend".
 


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