The Permanent Vaccination Commission (STIKO), Germany's vaccine oversight body, has recommended that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should be vaccinated against COVID-19 with an mRNA-based shot, Reuters news agency reported on Friday.

According to guidance posted on the website of Germanys' Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, STIKO advises that women should receive two shots from the second trimester of pregnancy.

The guidance added: "In addition, STIKO expressly recommends vaccination against COVID-19 for those of child-bearing age who are not yet or incompletely vaccinated, to ensure very good protection against this disease before pregnancy."

Currently, Germany is administering two vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, one made by local start-up BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) in partnership with Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), and a second from Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA).