1 In 5 Of England's Most Critical COVID Patients Are Unvaccinated Pregnant People

The sobering number was recently released by the National Health Service

The numbers just get worse and worse, don’t they? As the pandemic stretches into its second year, the statistics are overwhelming. Wait. No. They’re not numbers. These are real people. Mamas. Papas. Aunties. Grandad’s. That nice lady who lives next door. Real people who died of COVID. And now in heartbreaking news, according to a new report, about one in five COVID patients in England who received a lung-bypass treatment, called Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), were both unvaccinated and pregnant, The New York Times reports.

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (or NHS) is now asking pregnant women to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as there is an increased likelihood of severe risks to their health.

The COVID vaccine was made available across the UK late last year, with access given to pregnant women at high risk of serious complications from Covid-19. But other pregnant people were advised against the vaccine as the research surrounding possible side effects was collected.

In April, health regulators in the UK advised that pregnant people should receive the jab, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed around 90,000 pregnant and vaxxed people here in the United States had no emerging health issues, according to the Times.

“Covid-19 vaccines are recommended in pregnancy. If you are unsure about getting vaccinated, one of our Consultant Obstetrician’s will be at the clinic to answer any questions you have,” NHS Borders tweeted.

As of now, more than 81,000 pregnant women in the UK have received the first dose of the vaccine, according to Public Health England.

“But there is still more to be done,” says Britain’s health secretary, Sajid Javid, the Times reports, adding that the Covid vaccine is generally considered safe for pregnant women. The jab is now recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians, Royal College of Midwives and the U.K. Tetralogy Service.

The CDC tweeted about the importance of pregnant women receiving the jab.

As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August, who released safety data, COVID-19 is significantly more harmful to pregnant women than vaccination. Vaccination rates among pregnant individuals are much lower than among the general public, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Sept. 18, only 31 percent of pregnant women had had both shots before or during pregnancy.