COVID-19 vaccination of individuals with Down Syndrome-Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey on safety, efficacy, and factors associated with the decision to be vaccinated

Authors

Anke Hüls, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Patrick T. Feany, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Sophia Isabella Zisman, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK.
Alberto C. Costa, Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.Follow
Mara Dierssen, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08016 Barcelona, Spain.
Robert Balogh, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada.
Stefania Bargagna, Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Calambrone, Italy.Follow
Nicole T. Baumer, Department of Neurology, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.Follow
Ana Claudia Brandão, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo 01000-000, SP, Brazil.Follow
Angelo Carfi, Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00100 Rome, Italy.Follow
Brian Allen Chicoine, Advocate Aurora HealthFollow
Sujay Ghosh, Cytogenetics and Genomics Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700073, India.
Monica Lakhanpaul, Department of Population Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
Johannes Levin, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539 Munich, Germany.
Yona Lunsky, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, CAMH, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada.
Coral Manso, Down España, 28001 Madrid, Spain.
Eitan Okun, The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
Diego Real de Asua, Department of Internal Medicine and Instituto de Investigación Biomédica-La Princesa, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, 28001 Madrid, Spain.
Anne-Sophie Rebillat, Institut Jérôme Lejeune, 75015 Paris, France.
Tilman R. Rohrer, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66424 Homburg, Germany.
Giuseppina Sgandurra, Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Calambrone, Italy.
Diletta Valentini, Pediatric Unit, Pediatric Emergency Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy.
Stephanie L. Sherman, Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Andre Strydom, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK.
On Behalf Of The Trisomy Research Society Covid-Initiative

Affiliations

Advocate Medical Group Adult Down Syndrome Center

Abstract

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are among the groups with the highest risk for severe COVID-19. Better understanding of the efficacy and risks of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals with DS may help improve uptake of vaccination. The T21RS COVID-19 Initiative launched an international survey to obtain information on safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals with DS. De-identified survey data collected between March and December 2021 were analyzed. Of 2172 individuals with DS, 1973 (91%) had received at least one vaccine dose (57% BNT162b2), 107 (5%) were unvaccinated by choice, and 92 (4%) were unvaccinated for other reasons. Most participants had either no side effects (54%) or mild ones such as pain at the injection site (29%), fatigue (12%), and fever (7%). Severe side effects occurred in <0.5% of participants. About 1% of the vaccinated individuals with DS contracted COVID-19 after vaccination, and all recovered. Individuals with DS who were unvaccinated by choice were more likely to be younger, previously recovered from COVID-19, and also unvaccinated against other recommended vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe for individuals with DS and effective in terms of resulting in minimal breakthrough infections and milder disease outcomes among fully vaccinated individuals with DS.

Type

Article

PubMed ID

35455279


 

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