Blog
August 15, 2025
A Clear Message and a Helping Hand: How We Support Healthy Pregnancies and Healthy Families with COVID-19 Vaccines
The Washington State Department of Health has a clear message for our communities: staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations is one of our most effective tools for preventing severe illness. This is especially true for pregnant people, a group that faces heightened risks from the virus.
At WithinReach, we understand that families need more than just information; they need a trusted place to turn for help. Our Help Me Grow Washington Hotline is here to ensure every family has access to the resources they need to protect themselves and their little ones, including accurate information and connections to vaccine providers.
The importance of this support is illustrated by the recent experience of Leigh Haldeman, a nurse at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Despite her provider’s strong recommendation to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine during her pregnancy, Haldeman was turned away at two different pharmacies, receiving confusing information about eligibility. Her story shows the real-world challenges families can face in getting the care they need.
Why is this guidance so important?
The science remains clear: COVID-19 continues to pose serious health risks, and those risks can be more dangerous during pregnancy. In fact, pregnant people who get sick are more likely to require hospitalization or face devastating complications like preeclampsia, blood clots, or stillbirth.
Vaccination is a powerful tool to prevent this. As the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has stated, “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect our patients and their infants after birth.” Getting vaccinated while pregnant can also pass on crucial antibodies to the newborn, offering them protection during their first months of life.
Our Help Me Grow Washington Hotline and our online Help Me Grow Washington Resource Finder are here to help bridge the gap between information and action. We are ready to connect families to the resources they need so they can stay up to date on their vaccinations and protect themselves, their loved ones, and our broader community. Learn more by visiting: www.helpmegrowwa.org/childhood-immunizations
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