Those on immunosuppressive drugs should contact their physicians before anti COVID-19 jabs

• patients with chronic kidney ailments are a high risk group and should receive the vaccinations 
• there definitely was proven evidence of the benefits of taking the COVID-19 vaccinations

By JAMILA HUSAIN

The Sri Lanka Society of Nephrology yesterday advised patients who were on immunosuppressive drugs to consult their caring physician over receiving the COVID-19 vaccinations, while the vaccination programme has begun for patients who were suffering from CKD or other kidney ailments.   Secretary of the Sri Lanka Society of Nephrology, Dr. Arjuna Marasinghe told Daily Mirror that patients suffering from chronic kidney ailments were under a high risk group and should receive the vaccinations because those on dialysis were exposed to the virus as they had to travel to the hospitals to continue their treatment.    

“Therefore these patients are a highly vulnerable group of patients as some of the therapies require the patients to travel to hospital two or three times a week. Generally, following the COVID-19 virus, we asked patients to stay at home but these patients have to come to hospital to sustain their lives.   

So they are exposed to the virus and on the other hand if they are infected with the COVID-19 they will develop a severe form of the virus disease,” Dr. Marasinghe said.   
He further explained that while it was important for those on immunosuppressive drugs to seek advice from their caring physicians, and while the response to the vaccine may not be the same on such patients as in a person who was well, there definitely was proven evidence of the benefits of taking the COVID-19 vaccinations.   

• response to the vaccine may not be the same on such patients as in a person who was well