Currently, the covid vaccine is available in India by different manufacturers. There is a lot of doubt among patients with Dermatological disorders as to whether they can take the vaccine while they are on treatment for their dermatological diseases.
We are Talwar Skin Centre Lucknow routinely get a lot of queries from our patients regarding whether they should take up the covid vaccine or no. The answer to these questions is not a definite one and depends upon what disease the patient is suffering from and what medicines is the patient taking.
Covid vaccine is very important and we at Talwar Skin Centre encourage all our patients to take the vaccine as and when they become eligible for the same.
The first part of the vaccine is what disease is the patient suffering from with respect to Dermatology. If the patient is suffering from any allergic disorder for example urticaria or any Eczema then it is advisable for the patient to get in touch with the doctor prior to taking the vaccine because in some rare cases it may aggravate your pre-existing disorder like urticaria. In such situations we recommend the patient to start appropriate anti-allergic medications about a week prior to taking the vaccine which maybe needs to be continued for up to one week after taking the vaccine. This is essential to prevent any flavour of the preexisting disease.
The second point to remember with respect to the vaccine is what medications the patient has been on when he is eligible to take the vaccine. Patients who have been suffering from long-standing dermatological disorders like vitiligo or Psoriasis on long-standing Eczema usually tend to be on immunosuppressive drugs like oral steroids oral methotrexate. These medicines are strong drugs that tend to suppress the immune system of the body and may interfere with the vaccine process. We at Talwar Skin Centre generally recommend the patient stop such immunosuppressive drugs at least two weeks prior and two weeks after taking the vaccine. However, it is essential to note the condition of the patient prior to stopping the drug. In case the condition of the patient is likely to get worse on stopping the drug we generally recommend delaying the vaccine for a certain duration of time. This is particularly important in patients suffering from vitiligo and psoriasis.
The third point to not following the covid vaccine is that there is a possibility of developing an allergic reaction to the vaccine. This is generally rare and this should not discourage the general population from taking the vaccine. The allergic reaction may vary from a red coloured rash called urticaria or generalised itching over the entire body or mild fever. It is important to consult your doctor in case you develop any such allergic reaction.
In conclusion, we would just like to state that we encourage all eligible people to go ahead and take the covid vaccine inform their Dermatologist prior to taking the in case they’re suffering from any dermatological disorder.