NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Doctors at Vanderbilt Medical Center say people with diabetes need to be prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine. They also said there are certain side effects they need to be aware of.
Researchers at Vanderbilt said they studied more than 6,000 COVID-19 patients since March. They have compared the overall impact of the illness between those with Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and those who don’t have Diabetes.
Researchers say 90% of Diabetic patients in the United States have Type 2 Diabetes. Around 10% (or 1.6 million people) have Type 1 Diabetes in the U.S.
They say while studies have suggested that those with Type 2 Diabetes are at higher risk for more serious complications and being hospitalized with COVID-19, little is known about the risk for individuals with Type 1 Diabetes.
“Before we know it, we are going to have to decide which patients we need to prioritize to receive immunization for COVID-19,” said Dr. Justin M. Gregory MD, MSCI.
Dr. Gregory not only researches how COVID-19 impacts Diabetic patients; he also lives with Type 1 Diabetes. Now, with a COVID-19 vaccine on its way, he says people with diabetes don’t need to be the very first to get vaccinated.
“Not above healthcare workers, not above people in nursing homes, but soon thereafter,” Dr. Gregory said.
He said that’s because those with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes are three times more likely to have a severe illness than those who don’t have the medical condition. When it comes to getting the vaccine, they should expect certain side effects, including flu-like symptoms.
“When people with Diabetes have flu-like symptoms, we know that makes their blood sugar levels go up,” Dr. Gregory said. “When people with Type 1 Diabetes – and to some extent Type 2 Diabetes – are getting these vaccines, they need to be positioning themselves and being really really on top of their diabetes control, as if they were sick.”
He mentions that even though patients’ blood sugar might be more difficult to control a few days after, he still encourages them to get vaccinated.
