UP-PGH Covid-19 Questions and Answers
Can pregnant people be vaccinated?
Yes.
A pregnant person is part of a group recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and may choose to be vaccinated. There are currently little data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant people.
When making a decision, you should consider:
- The level of COVID-19 community transmission
- Your personal risk contracting COVID-19
- The risks of COVID-19 to you and potential risks to the fetus.
Can lactating people be vaccinated?
Yes.
A lactating person is part of a group recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and may choose to be vaccinated. There are no data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in lactating people or the effects of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines on the breastfed infant or milk production/excretion. mRNA vaccines are not thought to be a risk to the breastfeeding infant.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine be given to persons with a history of COVID-19 disease?
Yes.
Data from clinical trials indicate that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines can be safely administered in persons with evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Vaccination of persons with known current SARS-Cov-2 infection should be deferred until recovery and until criteria have been met for them to discontinue isolation.
Additionally, if a person was infected within the last 90 days, they may defer vaccination until after the 90-day period.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine be given to persons who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma for treatment of COVID-19?
Yes.
But vaccination should be deferred for at least 90 days after they received treatment. Based on the estimated half-life of these treatments, as well as evidence suggesting that reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection, delaying vaccination for 90 days is a precautionary measure to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with vaccine-induced immune responses.
For those on chemotherapy or immunosuppressing drugs, can they be vaccinated?
Immunocompromised individuals may receive COVID-19 vaccination if they have no contraindications to vaccination. However, they should be counseled about the
- unknown vaccine safety profile and effectiveness in immunocompromised populations
- potential for reduced immune responses
- need to continue to follow all current guidance to protect themselves against COVID-19
For persons who were vaccinated for COVID-19 while they were on immunosuppressive drugs and who have since regained their immune competence, re-vaccination is not recommended at this time.
Can I get other vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine, at the same time I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
No.
Given the lack of data, this vaccine series should be administered alone with a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration with any other vaccines. If mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are inadvertently administered within 14 days of another vaccine, doses do not need to be repeated for either vaccine.
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