Vaccinated HSE Employee Pregnant

[Employeebabymama]

Hello all. Wondering what the situation is for any HSE workers (allied health - speech and language, social work, psychology) who are fully vaccinated but pregnant? The guidance from January was to work from home but I am wondering what others are doing/what the guidance has been on it and how you are finding it. Thanks

I'm freelance allied health, based in schools. As long as cases remain low I'm planning on continuing to work in person (not vaccinated yet) as I'm able to use well ventilated spaces and PPE. However, I'm otherwise very low risk so I feel comfortable doing this even as I wait for my turn for the vaccine. I understand why others would want to stay working remotely if possible.

I’m also a vaccinated allied health worker in the HSE, and my pregnant colleague is working from home. Obviously there may be other health concerns that would lead to this, but as far as I know it’s due to her pregnancy.

I’m in the same boat. The direction from the HSE is that if you are over 35 you are considered to be extremely high risk and must work from home. If you are under 35 you are high risk but can go to work if you can be provided with a secure working environment, I think that’s a little open to interpretation.
I believe they’re currently reviewing this as data on vaccine efficacy becomes available

You should have a risk assessment.

The guidance is on the second pdf file at this link - www.hse.ie/eng/staff/workplace-health-and-wellbeing-unit/covid-19-guidance/

Anyone pregnant is deemed high risk but can continue to work if workplace is considered safe, however if you have any of the below risk factors then you have to work from home if possible or else go on paid leave.

^Pregnant HCWs with the following risk factors may also be defined as ‘Very High Risk' :
 Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds
 Being obese (Pre-pregnancy BMI >30)
 Pre-pregnancy co-morbidity, such as pre-existing diabetes and chronic hypertension
 Maternal age 35 or older
 Adverse social circumstances^

Just to add that the vaccine doesn't come in to it at all, when I had my risk assessment they didnt even ask if I was vaccinated. I queried it at the end but they said it doesn't effect their assessment.

Honestly thank you all so much! Early days for me yet but wanted to check in as I wasn’t sure of anyone in a similar boat that I could ask. I wonder can I self refer to occ health for a risk assessment or does it need to be through manager? All very new to me. Really appreciate all of your input thank you all so much.

For me, it had to be through a manager and management had to also sign off on the risk assessment once occ health sent it back to them. I think management more assessed the environment and occ health assessed my background (basically just went through the list of 6 risk factors I posted above). I work in a hospital so it may be different for me though.

Hi I think they have updated the guidance recently as it no longer says that pregnant ladies are to work from home from 28 weeks..

@Rubyrecka

Hi I think they have updated the guidance recently as it no longer says that pregnant ladies are to work from home from 28 weeks..

Thats UK guidance, HSE is the Irish health service.

Hello all - just to update - the HSE has released guidance this week relating to levels of risk per group (healthcare, office work, hospital work), by ‘Covid age’ and a few other details. I’m being referred to occ health who will do an assessment but I’m under the impression I will be working in the office for the foreseeable. Just wondering how is everyone doing with either being back/thinking of being back? I’m so anxious - I work with small children and families in a large building with lots of face to face appointments. Will occ health consider my worries or will it be very black and white? Vaccination status now taken into account also. Thanks