Pregnant people now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario

Ontario is extending COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all pregnant individuals starting Friday.

As of April 23, pregnant people will be included in the “highest risk” category of health conditions, according to Health Minister Christine Elliott.

As of April 23, all pregnant individuals can register for #COVID19 vaccination appointments under the “highest risk” health conditions in Phase Two of the province’s vaccine rollout. pic.twitter.com/hS6jL4E84y

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) April 23, 2021

Pregnant people can book an appointment via the provincial booking system, if that’s what their region is using, or through their public health unit if their area is handling vaccine bookings locally.

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The decision comes as more pregnant people have beem admitted to the province’s intensive care units during the third wave.

“Compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19, pregnant women are at increased risk of invasive ventilation with an equivalent mortality to age-matched peers,” the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada said in a statement in March.

The SOGC supports the use of all available COVID-19 vaccines approved in Canada in any trimester of pregnancy and during breastfeeding in accordance with regional eligibility. For more information, read our statement: https://t.co/eYRQsIRqut

— SOGC (@SOGCorg) April 21, 2021

Canadian health authorities have deemed COVID-19 vaccines safe for use on pregnant people.