City doctors face vaccine questions involving pregnancy and religious beliefs

Doctors across the city are facing skepticism from patients about the coronavirus vaccine.

News 12 Staff

Jan 27, 2021, 1:37 PM

Updated 1,409 days ago

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Doctors across the city are facing skepticism from patients about the coronavirus vaccine.
Dr. Rossi Hassad, an epidemiologist and professor at Mercy College, says some of the concerns are regarding religious beliefs.
He says the vaccine is not from a live virus or a live tissue and does not contain pork or pork products.
This would make the vaccine eligible for people of certain religions, like Islam.
The World Health Organization says while pregnancy puts women at a higher risk of severe coronavirus infection, the use of the Moderna vaccine is not currently recommended for pregnant women unless they are someone who is it at risk of high exposure.
Chief of Infectious Diseases and epidemiologist at NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn says that pregnant women were not included in the clinical trials, resulting in the uncertainty of its safety.
However, Sterling says a recent statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology regarding the vaccine shows it is most likely safe.
“Reviewing the trial information, they feel strongly that this is safe in pregnant women,” says Sterling. “This is safe in women in child bearing age, this is safe for women who might become pregnant between shot one and shot two.”
Sterling says the best thing to do when there is uncertainty is to consult with your doctor.