Dr. Meg Doherty, Director of the Global HIV, Hepatitis, and STI Programmes at the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed that data clearly indicate that people living with HIV are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, with a 30% higher mortality rate among these patients.
In episode 48 of the "Science in 5" program, aired by WHO on its social media accounts and hosted by Vismita Gupta Smith, Dr. Meg emphasized the importance of this new statistic and the seriousness with which WHO is treating it. She pointed out the critical need for countries and patients worldwide to prioritize screening, treatment, and management of hypertension and diabetes among people living with HIV.
Dr. Meg explained that during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a decrease in access to preventive services and HIV testing. She specified that these types of services need to be restored so that all individuals living with HIV can access the necessary antiviral treatments, check their HIV status, and prioritize receiving COVID-19 vaccinations.
Responding to a question from Vismita Gupta Smith about the necessity of prioritizing vaccinations for individuals living with HIV, Dr. Meg said that people with HIV should be prioritized for early COVID-19 vaccinations. She indicated that WHO has conducted research on the safety of vaccines among those infected with HIV, confirming that all currently available vaccines can be used and should provide adequate protection.
Dr. Meg added that numerous studies are investigating whether immunocompromised individuals will require an additional vaccine dose, but results have not yet been announced. Future announcements will clarify whether booster shots are necessary.
She explained that none of the currently available vaccines use live attenuated vaccine methods, which were previously prohibited for those with HIV, and therefore all existing vaccines should be effective.
Furthermore, Dr. Meg stressed the importance of ensuring that HIV-positive individuals receive the necessary treatment, noting concerns about the potential ineffectiveness of some new generation vaccines for individuals with very low CD4 counts—glycoprotein markers on T-cells that help indicate immune function—either due to lack of treatment or insufficient medication adherence. However, she clarified that these data are not yet definitive and that results, especially from ongoing clinical trials in South Africa on some new generation vaccines, will be monitored closely to determine their suitability for people living with HIV, regardless of CD4 levels.
