Can I receive the COVID-19 vaccination if I am taking an immunosuppressant drug: The Living with Parkinson's Tip of the Day
COVID-19 vaccines have been rapidly moving from the laboratory to the general public. This is overall great news as we hope that the vaccines will help us to gain better control of the pandemic. We hope that as more vaccine becomes available— everyone who wants the vaccine will have an opportunity to receive it.
We recently reviewed tips for people interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in Parkinson’s disease in a Facebook Live for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
An important and frequently asked question has surfaced among persons with Parkinson’s and also asked with other neurological disorders…
Can I receive the COVID-19 vaccination if I am taking
an immunosuppressant drug?
The short answer is almost always YES, but here are some important tips to keep in mind.
Immunosuppressant drugs have effects which can blunt or suppress your bodies immune system (or immune response). There are many on the market for various diseases (cancer, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
It is important that you and your doctor (along with your pharmacist) review the list of medications you are on— prior to consideration of the COVID-19 vaccination.
If your doctor believes that your immune system is suppressed “too much” for the vaccine to be effective— he of she can discuss options with you. Several experts we have spoken to have different approaches on this subject. Some experts will choose to have the timing of the vaccine to coincide with a period when the levels of your immunosuppressant drug(s) are at their lowest (in your bloodstream). This timing may be for example, right before you receive your next acheduled dose of an antidepressant. Other experts will use blood tests, (especially with specific immunosuppressive drugs) and follow levels or markers of your immune function— choosing the best time (based on the blood markers) for the vaccine. Most experts will also consider the mechanism of action for the specific vaccine you are considering (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sputnick, Coronovac, Sinovac, other) when planning a strategy.
Another unique consideration for people on immunosuppressive drugs is the “hope” that there will be local and systemic reactions to the vaccine. This point may surprise you (hoping for an adverse event), but your doctor in most cases will be looking for some indication that the vaccine is actually working— so a sore arm or flu like symptoms may actually be a good sign. If you take both doses of the vaccine and have no side effects, you and your doctor may need to rethink the strategy— and consider a third dose.
People on immunosuppressive treatments in general should strongly consider being vaccinated for COVID-19. The current recommendation is to take both dosages (2 shots and not 1).
The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control regularly update information on best practices and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. We recommend that you regularly look for updates as the field is changing rapidly.
