Will COVID-19 vaccines work if I have a weak immune system?
PTI, Jul 15, 2021, 10:18 AM IST
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Washington: Probably not as well as they do in healthy people, but the shots should offer some protection.
It’s why vaccinations are still recommended for people with immune systems weakened by disease or certain medications. It’s also important that your family, friends and caregivers get vaccinated, which will make it far less likely that they pass on the virus.
About 3% of US adults have weakened immune systems. Among them are people with HIV or AIDS, transplant recipients, some cancer patients and people with autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and lupus.
COVID-19 shots weren’t studied in large numbers of people with weak immune systems. But limited data and experience with flu and pneumonia vaccines suggest they won’t work as well as they do in others. That means people with weakened immune systems should keep taking precautions like wearing masks and avoiding large crowds.
“It’s prudent to use all the precautions you were using before you were vaccinated,” said Dr. Ajit Limaye, a transplant expert at University of Washington Medicine in Seattle.
Although most cancer patients should get vaccinated as soon as they can, people getting stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy should wait at least three months after treatment to get vaccinated, according to guidance from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. That delay will make sure the vaccines work as well as they can.
For transplant recipients, researchers are looking at whether an extra dose might make the vaccines more effective.
French guidelines recommend a third COVID-19 dose for the immunocompromised, including organ recipients. Israel recently began giving an extra dose of the Pfizer vaccine to transplant patients and others with weak immune systems. Some U.S. transplant recipients seek out a third dose on their own in hopes of more protection even though the federal government hasn’t authorized extra vaccinations.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
10 month baby gets new heart, new life
World COPD Day: Know your lung function
As Delhi chokes with dangerous pollution levels, doctors warn of health risks for all
World Diabetes Day 2024: Kasturba Hospital Manipal Hosts Zumba Session at Malpe Beach to Raise Diabetes Awareness
World Diabetes Day: An overview of types of diabetes
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Maharashtra assembly polls: Mahayuti leads in 146 seats, MVA ahead in 132
Vikram Gowda Encounter: Uneasy silence shrouds Peethabail
Kaziranga National Park to be centrepiece of 12th edition of ITM in Assam
Engineer dead, supervisor injured as wire rope snaps at metro site
Karnataka bypolls: Cong leads in Sandur, BJP and JD(S) ahead in Shiggaon and Channapatna
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.