COVID vaccines are safe and needed for those with IBD

Those with IBD should be vaccinated against COVID as soon as possible

The International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease recently released its recommendations for COVID vaccinations for the those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 

• Those with IBD should be vaccinated against COVID (the SARS-CoV-2) virus at the earliest possible opportunity. 
• The COVID vaccines are all safe for those with IBD. This includes the messenger RNA vaccines, the replication-incompetent vector vaccines, inactivated vaccines and recombinant vaccines. 
• Those on immune-modifying medicines can receive the vaccine and should get it.
• The vaccines effectiveness may be less for those taking steroids. 

Dr. David Rubin, of the University of Chicago, cautions that if live-attenuated virus vaccines or replication-competent viral vector vaccines become available, they would not be safe. But there aren't any available now and probably won't be for the near-future.   

These recommended guidelines are based on several facts:

• The COVID vaccines cannot give anyone COVID and they will not give anyone a positive result on a COVID test, because they do not contain any part of the virus. 
• The vaccine and their ingredients are safe and may provide protection against more than one viral type (or strain). There are no hidden tracking devices or microchips in the vaccines.
• The vaccines will not change anyone's DNA. Instead, they work to increase the body's immune response to produce antibodies to the virus.
• There's been no miscarriages or infertility caused by the vaccine.
• The side effects are mild: just some soreness in the arm where the vaccine was given. Others have fever, fatigue and flu-like achiness. 

Most importantly, the possible side effects are nothing compared to how severe a COVID infection can be. That's why those with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are being urged to get the vaccine.

Siegel CA, Melmed GY, McGovern DP, et al. Full text link: SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: recommendations from an international consensus meeting Gut  Published Online First: 20 January 2021. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-324000

 From David Rubin's Twitter Feed

In the article, they note "the exception is for any live-attenuated virus vaccines or replication-competent viral vector vaccines that come to market." Currently, all of the vaccines are inactivated (not live-attenuated).