Common COVID-19 vaccine concerns: Fact or f iction?

CAN immunocompromised individuals get the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine? Can those previously affected by the virus still benefit from it? These questions and other common COVID -19 vaccine-related concerns were addressed at a Feb. 23 health forum organized by the Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Kathryn U. Roa, vice-president of Philippine College of Physicians — Southern Mindanao Chapter, discussed these questions, as culled from the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine is not for everyone.

True, but cases are rare. The only current contraindication to COVID-19 vaccination is an allergy to a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine and any of its components. Those who experience an immediate allergic reaction after the first dose should not receive the second dose.

Claim: I have allergies to other vaccines and injectable medications, therefore I cannot get the vaccine.

False. People who experience an immediate allergic reaction, such as difficulty of breathing, to any other vaccine or injected therapy must first be evaluated by an allergist to assess possible allergic reactions.

Claim: I have food and/or medication allergies, therefore I can’t receive the COVID -19 vaccine.

False. There are special groups who can receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Those with allergic reactions to insects and latex, and those with well-controlled asthma, can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients with autoimmune diseases such as Bell’s palsy may also get vaccinated, provided they are informed that not enough data is yet available to establish the vaccine’s safety and efficacy for such conditions.

Claim: I’m pregnant, therefore I can’t get the COVID -19 vaccine.

Discuss this with your doctor. There is limited data on the vaccine’s effect on pregnant women and their babies. Among the small group of women included in trials and in animal studies, there were no safety concerns noted. Pregnant women should consider certain factors such as the level of COVID-19

transmission in their community, as well as their personal risk of contracting the virus, when making a decision about the vaccine.

Claim: If I get vaccinated, I can give COVID-19 to my baby through breastfeeding.

False, but discuss the benefits versus risks of breastfeeding with your doctor. There is limited data available, but the vaccine is not a live virus, and is thus unlikely to pose a risk to the breastfeeding child. The WHO does not recommend discontinuing breastfeeding if the mother is vaccinated.