Journal of Parkinson's Disease: People with Parkinson's should be vaccinated against COVID19

February 4, 2021 // -- Patients and caregivers with Parkinson's disease (PD) have expressed concern about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in PD and in the specific context of its treatment.
comments just published in Journal of Parkinson's Disease, experts address these concerns from an evidence-based perspective.
concluded that PD patients should be advised to use approved vaccines for COVID-19 vaccination unless there are specific taboos.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) "The arrival of these vaccines offers hope to PD patients because it can help reduce their risk of severe post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, which can lead to serious life-threatening diseases, at least in patients with late stages of PD.
" first author, Bastiaan R. Bloem, M.D., of Nebuheng University's Nedgen Medical Center, explained.
Based on the author's explanation of the scientific literature, the evolving experience of extensive vaccination in the general population, and the opinion of the International Parkinson's Society's Scientific Committee on Movement Disorders (IPMDS-SIC), the vaccination recommendations for COVID19 are as follows: IND patients (at least those with more severe conditions) appear to have a higher risk of serious and life-threatening diseases than the general population.
not yet known or expected that approved mRNA-based and viral vector vaccines being developed will interact with neurodegenerative processes in PD.
the type or rate of side effects of these vaccines in PD patients does not appear to be different from that of the general population.
vaccine also appears to be safe for older people, special attention needs to be paid to special groups of people living in long-term care facilities with PD infirmity and terminal illness.
't know that COVID-19 vaccination interferes with current treatments for PD.
who receive PD vaccines must continue to follow public health guidelines to reduce the exposure and spread of COVID-19.
"Taking into account all current evidence, we encourage the community of motion disorder specialists to recommend an approved vaccine for COVID-19 vaccination to their PD patients or responsible caregivers, with the exception of certain taboos."
, even after vaccination, PD patients must continue to follow public health guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure and transmission of COVID-19 recommended by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
() Source: COVID-19 for patients with Parkinson's disease recommended original source: Bastiaan R. Bloem et al, COVID-19 For People with Parkinson's Disease: Light at at The End of the Tunnel?, Journal ofInson Park's Disease (2021). DOI: 10.3233/JPD-212573