Other chronic diseases are also dangerous with COVID-19. When is the next vaccination? MZ replies

Vaccination of chronically ill patients is underway – oncological, dialysed, transplanted, mechanically ventilated. “We want chronically ill people who are most at risk of severe COVID-19 or dying from it to be vaccinated as soon as possible,” reads gov.pl. What about patients suffering from kidney disease or high blood pressure?

1. Vaccinations of chronically ill people started on Monday, March 15th
2. The group 1B (chronically ill) includes patients whose health condition increases the risk of a severe course of COVID-19, i.e. after cancer diagnosis, during its treatment, dialysis patients, before and after transplants, and mechanically ventilated patients.
3. On Monday, the Minister of Health, Adam Niedzielski, announced that people suffering from diabetes will also be included in group 1B
4. There are more diseases that increase the likelihood of a more severe course of COVID-19. Researchers at Tufts University in Medford point to four: diabetes, obesity, hypertension and heart failure
5. Group B1 will be extended to include patients with other chronic diseases? The Ministry of Health answered our question
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7. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

From March 15, vaccinate people with chronic diseases. Who did they cover?

On March 15, vaccinations against COVID-19 began for people from the so-called group 1B, i.e. chronically ill patients. Including them in the first stage of vaccination is, as we read in Szczepimysia, the government’s reaction to “numerous requests for key treatment of this group”. Let us remind you that SARS-CoV-2 is especially dangerous for the elderly and chronically ill (the risk of severe complications caused by coronavirus is increasing). “To protect the weaker, we are now making the vaccine available to chronically ill people” – informs Szczepimysie. Who was in group B1?

Initially, they will be able to take the vaccine:

1. dialysis patients for chronic renal failure
2. cancer patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy after December 31.12.2019, XNUMX
3. patients with cell, tissue and organ transplants undergoing immunosuppressive therapy
4. patients undergoing chronic mechanical ventilation
5. patients who have been diagnosed with cancer and have not started treatment,
6. patients awaiting transplant

According to the Minister of Health on March 15, people with diabetes problems will also be included in group 1B. – Regulations and changes to the ordinance in this respect will be next week – announced Adam Niedzielski.

Other chronic diseases are also dangerous with COVID-19

The chronic diseases listed above increase the risk of a severe course of COVID-19. However, there are more such diseases. Analyzes of scientists from Tufts University in Medford in the US have recently been published, which indicate four chronic diseases that increase the risk of hospitalization with COVID-19. In addition to diabetes, these include obesity, hypertension and heart failure. According to researchers, two thirds (about 64%) of hospitalizations due to SARS-CoV-2 infection occur in patients suffering from at least one of the chronic diseases mentioned above.

The details are as follows: out of almost 907 thousand. COVID-18 patients hospitalized until November 2020, 19, 30 percent were obese people, 26 percent. with hypertension, 21 percent – with diabetes, 12 percent patients had heart failure (these data refer to the United States).

The researchers note that if it were not for the chronic comorbidities mentioned, these hospitalizations could have been avoided. In other words, people infected with the coronavirus but not having any of the four diseases could have had a COVID-19 course that would not require a hospital stay.

At this point, it is worth stopping at, especially in the case of hypertension. An earlier study indicated that it increased the risk of death due to the severe course of COVID-19 by two times (compared to people with normal blood pressure).

1. More in the article: A disease that makes you twice as likely to be severely affected by COVID-19

Later analyzes by the Centers for Medicare & Medical Services (CMS – the federal health insurance program for people aged 65+ or people with specific disabilities) showed that as much as 80 percent of the respondents had high blood pressure. hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

1. More in the text: Seven chronic diseases that increase the risk of hospitalization of seniors with COVID-19

When to vaccinate patients with other chronic diseases? MZ replies

In connection with the information provided, the question arises whether the B1 group will be extended to include patients with other chronic diseases? We asked this question to the Ministry of Health. The answer of Ms Joanna Koc from the Communication Office of the Ministry of Health is quoted below.

“The order of vaccination has been specified in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of December 21, 2020 on the establishment of certain restrictions, orders and bans in connection with the occurrence of an epidemic (Journal of Laws, item 2316, as amended). Decisions relating to the individual stages of vaccination and the groups selected for them have been developed as a result of extensive consultations.

All reported comments and postulates relating to the above-mentioned regulations are analyzed in detail in cooperation with the Minister of Health and other competent authorities. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the number of currently available vaccines is – for reasons beyond the control of the Government – limited, and the situation is additionally hampered by a temporary reduction in supplies resulting from the manufacturers’ decisions. For this reason, while appreciating the importance of many of the submitted proposals, it is not possible to include representatives of all groups in priority groups.which are submitted to the Chancellery of the Prime Minister or the Ministry of Health in this matter. It cannot be ruled out, however, that the analysis of applications and postulates submitted in the course of vaccination, if deemed justified, will result in introducing changes in the order of vaccination, if possible.

Understanding the importance of the matter at hand, I would like to assure you that the Government is making efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible ».

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2. Is one dose of COVID-19 vaccine enough for convalescent? [WE EXPLAIN]
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