Contents
Are cancer, blood diseases, Hashimoto’s a contraindication for SARS-COV-2 vaccination? And will children also be vaccinated against the coronavirus? We present expert opinions
- Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong: If the vaccine will contain “the genetic material of the virus is properly packed, also chronic diseases or conditions of reduced immunity are not a contraindication to vaccination”
- Should a person who has already had COVID-19 get vaccinated? We know too little here. For now, it is necessary to vaccinate those who have not had the coronavirus – says the expert
- Protective vaccinations against other infectious diseases should be carried out independently of COVID-19, in accordance with the 2020 vaccination schedule
- You can find more up-to-date information on the TvoiLokony home page
At a recent press conference, prof. Andrzej Horban, a specialist in infectious diseases and a national consultant in this field, said that “if there are indications for vaccination, there are actually no contraindications”, except for an acute febrile illness that requires clarification of the cause. Anything else is not a contraindication. ” He assured that vaccinations would be the “solution to the problem” of the coronavirus, and that their effect would be “visible six weeks” after the second dose.
Are other diseases contraindications?
We tracked what other experts say about contraindications: Will people with cancer and haematological diseases be vaccinated? Will a person with chronic Hashimoto’s thyroiditis also be able to do it?
Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong in an interview for TVN24 stated that there are no such contraindications, “apart from obviously allergic to the material from which the vaccine is made,”.
He added that if vaccination will be carried out with those preparations that are best tested, and if “they contain the genetic material of the virus properly packaged, then also chronic diseases, states of reduced immunity are not a contraindication to vaccination”.
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The healers should get vaccinated too?
When asked if a person who has already been sick with COVID-19 should get vaccinated, Prof. Gaciong replied that probably not.
But he also noted that “the knowledge we have at our disposal at the moment does not give us an answer to the question of whether disease gives permanent immunity. It could be like the flu: seasonal vaccination is recommended every year. We know too little here. For the time being, it is necessary to vaccinate those who have not had COVID-19 and are at an increased risk of developing the disease or a worse course in the event of an infection ”.
The skin will turn red, it will hurt a little
In turn, prof. Jarosław Drobnik, an internal medicine specialist and the chief epidemiologist at the University Teaching Hospital in Wrocław, pointed out two dangers in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
“First, when the vaccine was not stored properly or the patient was vaccinated at the wrong time. However, there are rules that must be followed and designed to protect against such situations. Secondly, a vaccine, like any substance introduced into the body, can cause an allergic local reaction. The skin will redden, hurt a bit and the temperature may be elevated for a few days, but this is the effect of waking up the immune system, ”he said in an interview for Gazeta Wyborcza.
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Co-infections can be prevented
Dr. n. Farm. Leszek Borkowski points out one more aspect of vaccination. Namely, that flu or pneumococcal preparations can help prepare the body to fight SARS-Cov-2 infection, especially in older people.
“Vaccinations against diseases such as influenza or pneumococcal pneumonia are of particular importance in relation to the respiratory system (…). In case of infection with SARS-Cov-2 virus, it is better to be protected against the influenza virus or pneumococci. It is also about avoiding co-infections caused by these pathogens, which may increase the risk of a severe course of respiratory disease, ”the expert explained in an interview for TVN24.
COVID-19 and childhood immunization
On the website immunization.pzh.gov.pl, we read that the ongoing implementation of preventive vaccinations and the fastest possible completion of outstanding vaccinations in children in accordance with the Vaccination Calendar in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic is very important.
For a simple reason: other infectious diseases such as whooping cough, measles, invasive pneumococcal disease, rotavirus diarrhea, invasive meningococcal disease, and chickenpox pose a much greater risk to children than COVID-19, which is rare and mild in children.
But will children also be vaccinated against the coronavirus? Adam Niedzielski, the head of the Ministry of Health, said during a December press conference that “only one of the products offered in Poland is allowed to vaccinate children under 18, but over 12”. And that “in general, this vaccination will be primarily targeted at adults”, because “at the moment there is nothing to vaccinate children, because none of the producers have conducted research on a group of children”.
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Procedures minimize the risk
The portal also reads that the safety of those who want to vaccinate is ensured by the use of procedures that “minimize the risk of infection with the new coronavirus. Do not be afraid that we will vaccinate someone infected with SARS-CoV-2 and therefore health problems may arise.
The potential of the immune system is huge. Even a few vaccines given during the first vaccination visit “take up” only a fraction (about 1%) of the capacity of the vaccinated person’s immune system. Many people are asymptomatic carriers of a variety of bacteria and viruses and this does not affect our vaccination decisions. ‘
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