Guidance on Chronic Illness and the COVID 19 Vaccine | The Doctor Weighs In
By: Daniel Hernandez, M.D.
Regardless of your chronic condition, keeping it as well-controlled as possible — meaning low disease activity or remission — is the goal.
As part of the COVID-19 patient support program, the Global Healthy Living Foundation1and their digital, international arthritis organization, CreakyJoints2, have been speaking to experts, reviewing peer-reviewed literature, and reading government guidance to understand what people living with chronic disease need to know about getting vaccinated. In this article, we use that knowledge to answer questions you may have about chronic illness and COVID-19 vaccination.
Living with chronic illness during the COVID-19 pandemic
We’ve been living with the COVID-19 pandemic so long that it may be hard to remember what it was like before we all learned about the three Ws:
- Wear a Mask
- Wash Your Hands
- Watch Your Distance
It’s simple advice, but even the healthiest person can find it hard to maintain their discipline and good attitude over time. When you are coping with a chronic illness, the pandemic may pose an even bigger burden and be more isolating.
