Ontario’s top doctor urges pregnant people be prioritized for third doses of COVID vaccine

As Omicron continues to spread across the province, Ontario's top doctor is recommending pregnant people be prioritized for third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Kieran Moore, the province's chief medical officer of health, sent a memo Tuesday to the heads of local health units, and hospital CEOs, asking clinics in primary and acute care to prioritize appointments for pregnant women to facilitate the timely receipt of their booster vaccine due to the current epidemiology in the province.

Also addressed to groups like the Ontario Medical Association and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, it states that doctors caring for pregnant patients should strongly encourage" them to get vaccinated, including third doses, to prevent severe outcomes with Omicron."

Third doses were opened up to everyone in the province over 18 who is three months past their second shot, in mid-December, as a strategy to fight the more contagious Omicron variant.

But there have been reports of people having trouble finding appointments and waiting in long lines at pop-up clinics.

We know that vaccine uptake among pregnant women is not as high as in other populations, despite their risk for severe illness if infected with COVID-19," Moore added in his memo.

During Ontario's third wave there were more pregnant people in some Ontario hospital intensive care units than in the previous two combined.

Data from around the world has shown no safety concerns around taking COVID vaccines during pregnancy.

More to come

May Warren is a Toronto-based breaking news reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @maywarren11