We are in the midst of National vaccination drive against Coronavirus in Mauritius. All of us are important stakeholders in this drive and our active participation will be crucial for its success.
I can fully understand the concerns which many of you may be having regarding this vaccination drive. The concerns, and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination stems due to several factors, including the rapid rate of development and approval of the vaccines, low knowledge of vaccines and associated technologies, and fear of disease flares and reactions or side effects. These concerns get aggravated especially if you have chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, lung diseases and are already taking many medications.
As an individual involved in care of patients with chronic heart diseases, I have been trying to allay fears and concerns regarding vaccination amongst the patients under my care. In the next few paragraphs, I will try to answer some of the commonly raised questions for the benefit larger audience based on the available scientific evidence.
1. Is the vaccine safe for patients with heart diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetics, high blood pressure etc ?
Coronavirus vaccine is absolutely safe for such patients . In fact, these patients should get the vaccine at the earliest because the risk of serious disease and death due to novel coronavirus is much higher in patients with preexisting diseases.
2. Is the vaccine safe for people allergic to food stuffs like sea-food, medications like penicillin, pollens, dust etc ?
People with pre-existing allergic conditions safely can take the coronavirus vaccine. However, allergy to certain substances increases your risk of developing an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Therefore, such persons should get vaccinated at a health centre which has all the facilities to manage a case of severe allergic reaction, should it happen.
3. What is the risk of developing coronavirus infection after taking this vaccine?
Zero because none of the coronavirus vaccines available in the market so far are made of a weakened, live virus which can cause the disease.
4. Do I need to stop my medications like aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, any other blood thinners or any of my usual medication before taking the vaccine?
You MUST NOT stop these medications. In fact stopping them places you at a significant risk of developing blood clots in your arteries especially if you had recent stent implantation or if you have metallic implants like heart valves. There is a minimal risk of your developing small hepatoma at injection site . This small risk can be further minimised if you are vaccinated using a very thin calibre needle and applying firm pressure at the injection site for 5-10 minutes.
5. Do I need check my PT/INR if I am taking warfarin before taking the vaccine?
If you monitor your PT/INR regularly in 1-2 months' interval and it is below 4, there is no need of doing it just before vaccination. If you have not checked it in the preceding 2 months, it is advisable to check it prior to vaccination and ensure it is below 4.0.
6. Do I need to do additional tests if I am on anticoagulants like Xarelto, Pradaxa etc?
No you do not need any additional tests solely for vaccination purposes.
7. If I suffer from autoimmune disease like Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis Crohn's disease etc, can I take the vaccine?
The American College of Rheumatology has recently published its advisory which clearly states that the benefit of taking the vaccine far outweighs the risks at all stages of autoimmune disease. Increased risk of flare-up due to the vaccine has not been reported in such patients who received the vaccine.
There is no need to alter the usual schedule of their medications including immunosuppressives. They are advised to follow the same schedule of vaccination as the general population.
8. Is the technology for the production COVID 19 vaccines new?
COVID -19 vaccines approved so far use a variety of technologies. Most of the these vaccines eg. Oxford AstraZeneca, COVAXIN, Sputnik V, Johnson & Johnson, Chinese Covidencia are based on well tried and tested technologies.
The mRNA technology used for Moderna and Pfizer BioNtech vaccine, though relatively new, has been studied before for flu, Zika, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV).
All these approved vaccines have undergone extensive safety and efficacy trials. Millions of people the world over have already received these vaccines without any major side effects.
9. Is there any increased risk of blood clots due to Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine?
These fears/claims have not been proven and the WHO and EU health regulator have categorically stated that the potential benefits of this vaccine far outweighs the potential risks. The side effects due to all these vaccines are minor and include fever, body ache, chills and riggers, mild pain, redness and swelling at injection site, headache for 1-2 days.
I hope these answers will satisfy most of your queries and help you in getting vaccinated without any undue fear or anxiety. Feel free to contact us via www.calendulahealthcare.com
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