Coronavirus deaths among this group of patients are 30% higher. WHO warns

Dr Meg Doherty, director of the Department of Global Programs for HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases at the World Health Organization, stressed that the data clearly indicates that people living with HIV are at risk of a increased risk of serious illness if infected with Covid-19. and require Their cases receive hospital treatment, as well as the risk of death among them increases by 30%.

Meg added in episode 48 of the show “Science in Five”, broadcast by the World Health Organization on its social media accounts, and presented by Vismita Gupta Smith, that this new statistic is very important, and that the World Health Organization treat it seriously, noting the importance of prioritizing countries and patients around the world in screening, treatment and control of high blood pressure and diabetes in people living with HIV.

The decline of prevention services

Dr Meg explained that over the past two years during the Corona pandemic, the world has witnessed a decrease in the ability to obtain HIV prevention and testing services, explaining that this are those types of services that companies need to restart and meet their needs. problems so that all infected people can.

In the context of responding to Vismita Gupta Smith’s question on the need to prioritize immunization of people living with HIV, Dr Meg Doherty said that priority should be given to people living with HIV to achieve early Covid vaccines, explaining that the World Health Organization has conducted research to find out whether vaccines are safe in people living with HIV, and it has been shown that all existing vaccines can be used and that they should certainly provide adequate protection.

vaccine booster dose

She added that there are many studies to find out whether people with low immunity or those who are immunocompromised will need another dose of the vaccine, but the results of these studies have not yet been announced and therefore , it will be announced in the near future if they will. need to receive a booster dose.

Dr Meg explained that none of the vaccines currently available use live attenuated vaccine methods that were previously prohibited for people living with HIV, and therefore all of those vaccines now in place must be effective.

Dr Meg also stressed the need to ensure that people living with HIV receive the necessary treatment, as there are concerns that some new generation vaccines may not be effective in people with very severe CD4 deficiency. -lymphocytes which acts as a cofactor for the TCR receptor which binds to MHC, untreated or without drug.

But these data are certainly not yet clear. And we have to wait for the results, including clinical trials now underway in South Africa, on some new generation vaccines, and if they are confirmed to be suitable for people living with HIV, there will be no problem getting the vaccine, whether it’s low CD4 or high CD4.