Should Lyme disease patients with an impaired immune system get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Jan 15, 2021

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People can have an impaired immune system from an overactive and underactive immune response. “A strong immune system responds appropriately to the challenge; a weak immune system may over-respond or under-respond,” explains Kostoff and colleagues in the journal International Journal of Molecular Medicine. [2] Should Lyme patients get the COVID-19 vaccine?

They added, “A weakened immune system appears to be the main determinant of serious/fatal reaction to viral infection (for COVID-19, SARS, and influenza alike).”

Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are examples of an over-response of the immune system. Lyme disease is another example of an overactive immune response. [3]

The CDC report touched on the risk to individuals with a weakened immune system in developing a severe COVID-19 infection. [1] It acknowledges that there is limited safety data on the use of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in individuals with an impaired immune system. “Information about the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for people who have weakened immune systems in this group is not yet available.”

The report pointed out that, “People with weakened immune systems should also be aware of the potential for reduced immune responses to the vaccine, as well as the need to continue following all current guidance to protect themselves against COVID-19.”

The CDC guidance report was issued to allow individuals with a weakened immune system to make “an informed decision about receiving the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.”

The authors point out that there is little information above the vaccine’s impact on individuals with autoimmune conditions. “They should be aware that no data are currently available on the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for them.” Nevertheless, the authors advised treatment.

Editor’s note: It is clear that COVID-19 can be severe for some individuals. There is a paucity of information on the risks and benefits of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination for Lyme disease patients. I have been advising my patients to take the mRNA COVID-19 vaccination based on a review of the risks and benefits. Some doctors have advised against taking the COVID-19 vaccination based on their risk and benefit assessment.

Are you reluctant to take the COVID-19 vaccine?

Opinion: Low COVID-19 vaccine trust among Lyme disease patients

Researchers race to develop Lyme disease vaccine

References:

Vaccination Considerations for Persons with Underlying Medical Conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/underlying-conditions.html Last accessed 12/31/20.
Kostoff RN, Briggs MB, Porter AL, Aschner M, Spandidos DA, Tsatsakis A. [Editorial] COVID19: Postlockdown guidelines. Int J Mol Med. Aug 2020;46(2):463-466. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2020.4640
Aucott JN, Soloski MJ, Rebman AW, et al. CCL19 as a Chemokine Risk Factor for Posttreatment Lyme Disease Syndrome: a Prospective Clinical Cohort Study. Clin Vaccine Immunol. Sep 2016;23(9):757-66. doi:10.1128/CVI.00071-16

Comments

174 responses to “Should Lyme disease patients with an impaired immune system get the COVID-19 vaccine?”

Alicia

01/18/2021

I completely disagree for the following reasons:

1. COVID-19 shows no greater mortality rate than the seasonal flu (which the CDC conveniently quit counting). If you are not over 70 years of age, you have less of a chance of dying from COVID than from influenza.
2. Speaking influenza, every single Lyme/MSIDS patient I’ve worked with has had a relapse of symptoms after the flu vaccine. This shows you have a 36% greater chance of getting COVID if you get a flu vaccine: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X19313647?via%3Dihub
3. There are effective treatments for COVID-19 (HCQ, zinc, Ivermectin, IV vitamin C, among others). Please see: https://jameslyonsweiler.com/2021/01/17/dr-pierre-korys-slides-from-unbreakingscience/. Dr. Kory blows the NIH statement against Ivermectin out of the water with science. It even works prophylactically.
3. There are NO completed clinical trials of this experimental medical device (it isn’t a vaccine at all, it is mRNA packaged in a fat envelope, that is delivered to a cell that does not stop transmission but is a treatment). When you get the jab, you are effectively now a test subject IN their ongoing trials. There is no recourse if you are injured.
4. Moderna has admitted that the mRNA injections are an Operation System, called the “Software of Life”: https://www.modernatx.com/mrna-technology/mrna-platform-enabling-drug-discovery-development
5. Dr. James Lyons Weiler explains there are unsafe epitopes: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/12/04/medical-freedom-press-conference-must-see-video/
6. Coronavirus vaccines have a terrible safety record. Vaccinated animals got more serious disease and many died.
7. Two sources state this “medical device” can potentially cause sterility:two sources are now saying the COVID-19 vaccine can cause sterility: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/24/gsk-whistleblower-covid-vaccine-caused-sterility-in-97-of-women/ and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/12/09/uk-government-warns-doctors-about-covid-vaccine-but-not-patients/
8. Our public health ‘authorities’ have severe conflicts of interest and are not to be trusted. They own the patents on the pathogens, the tests, and the vaccines: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/26/cdc-playbook-learning-from-lyme/ and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/30/how-the-cdc-uses-their-own-guidelines-to-rig-the-system/
9. Lyme/MSIDS patients are in an epic war for their health. The last thing they need to do is partake in a dangerous experiment when there are good treatments and many things they can do to make their bodies tougher targets. Don’t be afraid of a virus.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  01/18/2021
  
  There are certainly a lot of ideas floating around on the COVID-19 vaccine that are not supported by the evidence.
  
  Reply
2. James Boulter
  
  01/21/2021
  
  What are your medical qualifications to make such statements? Your claim, comparing covid mortality to the flu has been routinely refuted and implies an ideological bias. (Here is just one demonstration: https://ourworldindata.org/mortality-risk-covid) You cite only one peer reviewed publication in your comments, and it fails to support your thesis: “Receipt of influenza vaccination was not associated with virus interference among our population.” Your comments appear have the intent of fomenting fear in a group already suffering from lyme and associated diseases. Finally, your slander against public health practitioners is unwarranted and unfounded.
  
  Reply
  1. Diane
    
    07/14/2021
    
    Hi Maude… Praying for you and that by now you already pulled through your Covid vaccinations well..and maybe up to sharing on this forum?
    
    Reply
3. L
  
  04/11/2021
  
  Way to go girl! I completely agree Alicia! I’ve been battling Lyme for 30 years. I got the flu shot once 5 years ago and had to be hospitalized.
  Since the outbreak of CoVid-19 I moved from New York City to New Jersey, traveled to Florida and LA. All while testing negative and never had a symptom of CoVid. Why on earth would I subject my body to this vaccine? No thank you, I won’t be a government experiment.
  
  Reply
  1. Simon Templar
    
    04/20/2021
    
    It sounds like that plan will work…until it doesn’t.
    
    Reply
4. Simon Templar
  
  04/20/2021
  
  “Don’t be afraid of a virus.”
  
  Until you or someone you know dies from it.
  
  It’s one thing to read conspiracy theories on Alex Jones’ website and quite another to see someone you know get hammered by COVID-19. (e.g. a 27 year old with no comorbidities on a ventilator, a single mother in her 30s who died and left behind a child, a woman hospitalized for three months and then required months of therapy.
  
  Reply
lou

01/18/2021

Many chronic lyme patients have a low white blood cell count, and their RA, hashimotos, etc are infection driven. Seems like this makes them harder to fit neatly into these categories. Plus, more than a few have mast activation, which makes adding new things, whether food or vaccines, potentially a problem. Then there is advanced age. They are giving the shot to nursing home people, but it was my understanding that the immune system weakens with age.

It may be hazardous for any doctor to recommend against a vaccine for this population, since people who don’t immediately get vaccines, and doctors who don’t recommend them often are called anti-vaxxers. It is so tiring to have to keep pointing out shades of gray in what too many people consider a black and white world.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  01/18/2021
  
  well stated
  
  Reply
Kyle

01/17/2021

I’ll be getting the vaccine this week. Will let you know if I have any difficulties.

Reply
1. Sonya
  
  02/09/2021
  
  How did it go Kyle? I’m still on the fence. I have post-lyme syndrome or chronic lyme. Whatever you want to call it these days. Fatigue, inflammation, muscle pain, brain inflammation our my main symtoms. I am testing the waters with the vaccine by seeing how others do with it.
  
  Reply
Erin

01/16/2021

Thank you for the information. What are your thoughts for those with lyme and the MTHFR gene mutation (1 or 2 copies)? It is harder to detox with this mutation.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  01/16/2021
  
  Sorry again. I don’t have an answer.
  
  Reply
Marja

01/16/2021

Does a current lyme diagnosis count for an underlying condition with respect to prioritization for the covid vaccine?

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  01/16/2021
  
  I have not seen Lyme disease on the priority list despite their impaired immune system.
  
  Reply