TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government of Kediri city, East Java has started administering coronavirus vaccines to pregnant women, following a central government nod, to reduce maternal deaths due to COVID-19 exposure.

"Recently, the maternal mortality rate has increased. Most of them (patients who died) have not been vaccinated," said head of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) working group for the city, Ferry Silviana Abdullah Abu Bakar, here on Saturday.

Vaccinations were rolled out for pregnant women recently after the central government decided to allow them to participate in vaccination programs, as part of an effort to suppress the spread of COVID-19, she added.

According to Bakar, vaccinations can increase immunity in pregnant women and lower the risk of severe symptoms if, by chance, they are exposed to the virus.

The vaccination program for pregnant women is being conducted in three locations in Kediri city -- Sekartaji Park, Joyoboyo City Forest, and Tempurejo Park, she informed.

It is targeting pregnant women with a minimum gestational age of 13 weeks or more than three months, she added.

Based on the monitoring results so far, there have been no reports of severe adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in pregnant women, Bakar stated. Therefore, she said she hoped that pregnant women in Kediri would participate in the vaccination program as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Kediri Mayor Abdullah Abu Bakar said the government would continue to educate pregnant women not to hesitate to participate in vaccinations.

The number of pregnant women in Kediri based on available data is around 600, the mayor informed. However, some of them have not participated in the vaccinations yet, he noted.

The Indonesian Health Ministry has permitted pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as stated in the Ministry's circular HK.02.01/I/2007/2021 concerning COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women and Screening Adjustments in the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination.

Read: Pregnant Women Should Get Vaccinated, Says Expert

ANTARA