Can People With Autoimmune Conditions Get The COVID-19 Vaccine?

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One listener wants to know if the vaccine is safe for people with autoimmune disease, a group that might be at increased risk for severe COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said people with autoimmune diseases can get the COVID-19 vaccine but warned there is limited data on how their bodies might respond.

More research is needed for people with autoimmune diseases and other subgroups of the population, according to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Associate Professor Mark Cameron.

“Through Phase III clinical trials, it’s been proven to be safe and effective, but that doesn’t mean the study stops at this point,” Cameron said.

Researchers will be looking at whether the vaccine is as effective for people with autoimmune diseases. Cameron said immunosuppressive medication might weaken immune responses that people need to gain effective immunity against the coronavirus.

Cameron recommended people in this situation talk to their health care provider before getting the vaccine, and the CDC said some people may need to be monitored after receiving it.

The CDC recommends everyone who receives the vaccine continue COVID safety protocols, including wearing masks, even after their shots.