Nagpur: Doctors in both private and government set ups are getting inquiries from HIV patients whether they can take the Covid vaccine. There are queries if HIV is in the list of comorbidities and would doctors issue a certificate for those in the age of 45 years and above, said sources.
“The format for issuing certificates has a list of 20 diseases. This includes HIV infection too,” said Dr Milind Bhrushundi, a private practitioner and governing council member of AIDS Society of India.
“It’s just the beginning and I have issued 12 certificates so far. There have been dozens of calls each day seeking advice,” he said. HIV patients do take vaccines and they can go for the Covid jab too, said Bhrushundi.
“Any HIV infected patient can have a vaccine if the is immunologically fit. The certificates are being issued considering the case. In any case, I am flooded with calls and so are other doctors,” he said.
CD-4 count, which is the body’s ability to generate antibodies, is one of the factors considered to evaluate patient’s immunological status, he said.
Dr Megha Nawade, also a private practitioner, said even she had received a number of calls for the patients. “Any HIV patient with a CD-4 count of 200 and above can go for the vaccine. The patients are calling up asking the formalities for getting the jab. They are also asking whether it would be advisable to get vaccinated if they are already on medicines for HIV,” she said. Vaccine with dead virus can be safe for a HIV patient, said the doctor.
A source in a government counseling centre also confirmed getting the calls. “We have advised them to get themselves registered. So far most of the calls have been from frontline workers who are already eligible for the vaccine. They are being advised to get the vaccine and they need not disclose their HIV status,” he said. “The patients are worried about disclosing their HIV status,” the source said.
“Proper counseling can help them get over it. That’s the reason we are getting calls directly asking for a certificate,” said Bhrushundi.
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