Mumbai's civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday decided to allow Covid-19 vaccination for pregnant women and lactating mothers, without prior registration. Pregnant women will have to produce a certificate written on the letterhead of gynaecologists from whom they are taking treatment along with a self-consent letter, BMC said. The days allotted for this particular division are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. However, they have to register at vaccination centres. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "I have just been informed by BMC that my request for giving the option to pregnant women for COVID vaccination is going to be implemented and also for lactating mothers. They will be in the vaccination ambit. Thank you Shri Iqbal Chahal. A formal notification to follow soon." I have just been informed by @mybmc that my request for giving the option to pregnant women for COVID vaccination is going to be implemented and also for lactating mothers. They will be in the vaccination ambit. Thank you Shri Iqbal Chahal. A formal notification to follow soon — Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 24, 2021 The circular was released by BMC on late Monday night granting permission to all pregnant and lactating women to walk-in to the vaccination centre for the jab along with specially-abled persons and senior citizens. "A call was taken by higher-level officials later at night to include pregnant women too. If they are willing to give consent for a jab and can procure a certificate from their gynecologist, they can walk into any centre. This form will be submitted at the vaccination centre," a senior BMC health official told Indian Express. However, the Union Health Ministry has yet not shown a green flag for the vaccination of pregnant women. "Regarding Covid vaccination of pregnant women, the matter is under discussion and further deliberation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)," the Union Health Ministry had said. On May 19, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to all states to allow lactating women to undergo vaccination. As of now, the US and a few European countries have granted permission to pregnant women to get immunised.

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