Health officials on Feb. 20 ruled that women who are pregnant or lactating may now receive Merck's experimental Ebola vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports STAT.
Three things to know:
1. A committee advising the Congolese Ministry of Health made the decision with support from the World Health Organization. The rule change also allows children under age 1 to receive the experimental vaccine.
2. The decision marks the reversal of a controversial policy that excluded pregnant women from receiving the vaccine due to safety concerns. The original policy was met with large opposition from public health experts.
3. As of Feb. 20, Congo health officials have reported 844 confirmed and probable Ebola infections linked to the country's ongoing outbreak. Health workers have also administered more than 80,000 experimental Ebola vaccines to people in the Congo and nearby countries since August.
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