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CHARLESTON -- COVID vaccinations are not only safe for pregnant women, but also can assure both their own health and the well-being of their unborn child, according to West Virginia COVID Czar Dr. Clay Marsh.
Marsh's comments came during Gov. Jim Justice's virtual briefing with state media on Friday.
"An important message for any woman who is pregnant, who is trying to become pregnant or who has just delivered a baby is the vaccines are not only safe, but really important," he said. "About one out of five pregnant unvaccinated women who gets COVID will have premature labor, or will deliver their baby at an early gestation time, or will have complications with the pregnancy.
"We know there is a hesitancy -- we know that here in West Virginia, including seeing some pregnant women who developed COVID during their pregnancy die from COVID 19. So it is really important that pregnant women also get vaccinated and get boosted if you are eligible for a booster," Marsh said.
Young children between the ages of 5 and 11 also should soon be in line to get COVID vaccinations, Marsh said.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday cleared child-size doses of the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use, and the Centers for Disease Control board is slated to meet Tuesday to determine whether vaccinations should be expanded to elementary school age youths.
"We anticipate they also will give the thumbs up for the Pfizer vaccine at 10 micrograms -- which is a third of the vaccine for adults -- for 5- to 11-year-old children," he said.
Research indicates only about a quarter of parents nationally are committed to vaccinating their own children, according to Marsh.
"It is very important for parents to look at the eligibility for your 5-11 year old," he said. "Most children 5-11 who would contract COVID would not be hospitalized, but there is a risk -- as small as it might be -- of that happening."
There is also a risk of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome occurring in children, he said. This is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs, according to CDC information.
It can have lasting effects, and affect the young child throughout their lives, Marsh said.
James Hoyer, of the state's Joint Interagency Task Force, said West Virginia is prepared to vaccinate elementary school age children.
"We are ready for when the approval comes for kids ages 5-11," he said. "A lot of work has been done by the state to prepare for that activity."
Justice on Friday announced 110 additional COVID-related deaths had occurred in West Virginia since Monday, bringing the total lives lost to COVID in the state to 4,426.
Justice said 44 of the deaths added to the list previously were unreported, and that the state needs to do a better job in recording the numbers.
COVID-related numbers are reducing overall in the state.
Justice said on Friday there were 603 hospitalized in West Virginia for COVID, while a month ago that number had been as high as 1,012.
There were 184 COVID patients in intensive care units across the fight, down from a high that was almost at 300, according to Justice. Those on ventilators totaled 117, a decrease from a peak of 200.
"As good as our numbers are, we will continue to lose people," Justice said.