The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended on Wednesday that women who are pregnant to get a coronavirus vaccine. "COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future," the CDC said. It added, "Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people." It reiterated, "COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19." The CDC relies on new data to support this recommendation that they extend to women who are breastfeeding or those who are trying to get pregnant now or in the future. The advisory reiterates that the coronavirus vaccine is recommended for "all persons aged 12 years or older" and can protect "from a serious illness caused by COVID-19." On April 23, the director of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, had recommended that pregnant mothers be vaccinated after a study carried out by that agency revealed that no danger was observed for women or the fetus. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, disclosed the preliminary results of an investigation in pregnant women immunized with vaccines developed with messenger RNA technology, the same used to produce the doses of Pfizer and Moderna. The CDC issued the recommendation as the United States has redoubled its efforts to raise the percentage of people immunized in the wake of the spike in coronavirus infections attributed to the delta variant. Meanwhile, California has become the first state that will require the teachers and school employees to be vaccinated or get tested regularly. California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "To give parents confidence that their children are safe as schools return to full, in-person learning, we are urging all school staff to get vaccinated." The new policy for California school staff takes effect Thursday and schools must be in full compliance by Oct. 15. Furthermore, Amtrak, the passenger railroad service, announced Wednesday that all its employees must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 and that unvaccinated employees "must submit weekly proof of a negative COVID-19 test." As for Oct. 4, all new hires must show proof of vaccination. — Agencies
