Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => COVID-19 => Topic started by: katieHaylor on 08/02/2021 13:02:56
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Daniel says:
I suffer from a number of conditions that are auto immune related i.e. asthma (very mild), arthritis (very mild), ulcerative colitis (mild - moderate), eosinophilic oesophagitis (mild), lycans sclerosis (mild).
For my asthma, I take a preventer inhaler – Flutiform 250/10 (1 puff twice daily). For eosinophilic oesophagitis I take another steroid inhaler Flixotide [AKA Fluticasone] (250 mcg four puffs twice daily).
I know that steroid sprays are immuno-suppressants. Considering my health problems and my use of steroid inhalers, are there any problems with me having the Covid-19 vaccine?
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Individuals with immunosuppression may not make a full immune response to vaccination. As there is no evidence on response in immunosuppressed individuals there is also no evidence upon which to base advice on the optimal timing of delivery. Specialists may advise their patients based on their knowledge and understanding of their immune status and likely immune response to vaccination, but should also consider the risk from COVID-19 and the patient’s likelihood of exposure. The small number of patients who are about to receive planned immunosuppressive therapy should be considered for vaccination prior to commencing therapy (ideally at least two weeks before), when their immune system is better able to make a response. Where possible, it would also be preferable for Chapter 14a - 16 COVID-19 - SARS-Cov-2 Chapter 14a - COVID-19 - SARS-CoV-2 12 February 2021 the 2-dose schedule to be completed prior to commencing immunosuppression. This would entail offering the second dose at the recommended minimum for that vaccine (three or four weeks from the first dose) to provide maximum benefit that may not be received if the second dose was given during the period of immunosuppression
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Clinical trials are now starting on vaccination of immune-suppressed individuals.
- Unfortunately, clinical trials take months
- Perhaps they will take a similar path to the vaccine tests in over-60s: Monitor for adverse effects (Safety), and monitor antibody levels (a proxy for Efficacy)
The tests on over-60s did not produce a statistically-significant result for Efficacy, because those individuals were (sensibly) staying isolated to avoid the virus.
- In crude terms, the Efficacy results were not statistically significant, because not enough people got sick in that cohort
- But they did show a robust antibody response, and that is a strong hint that these individuals will have a protective immune response