Push for pregnant Geelong women to have Covid vaccine as hospital admissions confirmed

Unvaccinated pregnant women are increasingly presenting to Geelong hospital, with authorities pleading for them to get the jab or risk catching Covid, bringing potential complications.

Barwon Health says unvaccinated people continue to be “highly represented” in those ending up in hospital for Covid as pregnant women are urged to get jabbed.

Barwon South West public health unit deputy director Associate Professor Daniel O’Brien confirmed unvaccinated pregnant women had been admitted to Geelong hospital with Covid in recent months.

“Vaccination is safe for pregnant women and we encourage pregnant women to get

vaccinated to avoid severe illness and complications for them and it will help protect their babies,” Prof O’Brien said.

Pregnant women are being urged to receive their Covid jab with unvaccinated pregnant women admitted to Geelong hospital.

“As life gets back to some normality and our region opens up we are seeing those

unvaccinated at the greatest risk of severe illness and hospitalisation.

“This includes pregnant women.”

As of 9am Tuesday, there were 18 patients in Geelong hospital with Covid, 11 of whom were in intensive care.

“The average age of these patients is 45,” Prof O’Brien said.

“In keeping with our role as a Covid streaming hospital the inpatients come from Geelong and across the state.”

Greater Geelong recorded 23 new Covid cases.

Health department data published Tuesday showed the municipality had 376 active cases.

Two new cases were reported for Colac-Otway.

Victoria reported 1069 new cases and 10 deaths among people with Covid on Tuesday.

Originally published as Push for pregnant Geelong women to have Covid vaccine as hospital admissions confirmed