The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is urging pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The rate of vaccination in that cohort is significantly lower compared to the general population. It hovers around 60 per cent across Ontario and 50 per cent locally.
Acting Medical Officer of Health Doctor Shanker Nesathurai told reporters Wednesday morning the rate is concerning considering the risks infected mothers face, including hospitalization, admittance to the intensive care unit, high blood pressure, and cesarean delivery.
"There's also consequences to the baby," he said. "There's an increased likelihood of stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, and for the baby if born sick therefore having to go to the neonatal intensive care unit."
He repeated the message many doctors have voiced that the shot is safe for mothers and there are no ingredients in the vaccination that could trigger miscarriage, an oft-repeated claim.
Nesathurai also stressed the importance of breastfeeding mothers getting the vaccination.
"There's no evidence of any adverse consequence," he continued. "There is a belief in medicine that the antibodies related to vaccine travel from the mother to the baby, and to that extent, getting vaccinated may provide additional benefit to the baby."
He said the province is conducting a media campaign this week to sell the benefits of the COVID-19 shot to expectant and breastfeeding mothers.
On Wednesday, the health unit reported 25 new cases of COVID-19, of which the origin of 11 are still under investigation. There are seven infections related to close contact with someone else with the virus already tracked by public health officials. Another five people caught it in the community, and two more are travel-related.
The number of active cases is now 174, and 75 of those involve a variant of concern.
A man in his 70s who lived in the community is the region's 464th fatality. He passed away on Tuesday.
The province reported 321 new cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths. The active case count is 2,978.
