Question by ARDS Survivor Jim, January 1, 2021
I am a 55 year old ARDS survivor, who has some medical issues that have plagued me since my hospitalization ten years ago… how important it to to get this new Covid-19 vaccine, and should I try to get it sooner because of my medical history?
Doctor Response:
Yes, you should get vaccinated. It’s more important for an ARDS survivor to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because there may be some loss of lung function after recovery from ARDS. If so, then recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia could be more difficult than in someone who never had ARDS. Comorbidities (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) that are sequelae of ARDS/critical illness episode may increase risk with COVID as well.., and you should just follow their local prioritization system. However, a general history of ARDS will probably not by itself put a patient into a special priority category.
Associate Professor, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
and Medical Ethics and Humanities
University of Utah School of Medicine
Director, Center for Humanizing Critical Care (http://bit.ly/HumanICU)
Assistant Director, Critical Care Echocardiography Service
Intermountain Medical Center
Shock Trauma ICU
5121 South Cottonwood Street
Murray, Utah 84107
Professor of Medicine| Senior Scientist
Director of Critical Care Research| University of Toronto
Director| The RECOVER Program
Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine
University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
Roy Brower, MD
Professor of Medicine
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
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ARDS Foundation invites those in the ARDS Community to ask general questions related to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the complications that surround ARDS, as well as issues that occur as a result of Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS).
Each month a specialist will address issues of concern surrounding the question. Periodically, a specialist may recap current research related to ARDS.
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Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
