Living with HIV & Making Heads or Tails Over Covid-19 Vaccinations

By: Brandon M. Macsata, CEO, ADAP Advocacy Association

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been especially hard for people living with HIV/AIDS. Concerns over already being immunocompromised are only compounded by the social isolation from family, friends and colleagues. The economic and social impact has been profound for the HIV community.[1] For the long-term survivors among us, seeing Covid-19 wreak havoc brings back dark memories of the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic's fear, stigma and obituaries. Now forty years into one epidemic desperate for a cure (and vaccine), we've also witnessed the marvels of modern-day medicine with the advent of vaccines to protect against the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2. Yet, too many people living with HIV/AIDS remain unvaccinated against Covid-19. While concerning for many of us, it is also important to understand the reasons behind their vaccine hesitancy. Doing so provides the best opportunity to educate and empower them.

What remains a definitive analysis on the intersection between HIV and Covid-19 is the summary published last year by the Kaiser Family Foundation, "Key Questions: HIV and Covid-19." According to the authors, "This analysis explores key questions around Covid-19 and HIV – what we know and what we are still learning."[2] Read it!

Photo Source: WAOW - ABC News 9

Among the reasons behind vaccine hesitation is fear of the unknown. Mistrust remains high in certain segments of the HIV community. Mistrust of the government. Mistrust of the pharmaceutical industry. Mistrust of the news media. And for good reason, because the HIV community has a long history of being dismissed, disparaged, and harmed by these institutions during the height of the AIDS crisis. The recent headlines blaming people living with HIV for variant development only furthers the distrust. Adding fuel to the fire is confusion over what to believe because sometimes the messaging offers conflicting conclusions. All of the science in the world, no matter how compelling is the data, might not be enough to sway the HIV community's vaccine hold-outs.

It is undeniable that Covid-19 has disproportionately impacted marginalized communities, including people living with HIV/AIDS. The University of Delaware found that among Delawareans living with HIV, "many reported a deep sense of isolation, declines in physical or mental health, increasing economic hardship and uneven access to health care." According to Tricia Wachtendorf, director of the University of Delaware-based Disaster Research Center, participants living with HIV were much more likely to use words like 'fear' or 'scared' when describing Covid-19, as opposed to 'anxious' or 'concerned" among the general population.[3]

The report findings shouldn't come as any surprise since people living with HIV more likely to get sick with, die from Covid-19. Prior to the Delta and Omicron variants, Penn State College of Medicine researchers had already sounded the alarm that people living with HIV should be prioritized to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. Their research concluded HIV increased the likelihood of Covid-19 infections by 24%, and a 78% higher risk of death.[4]

Yet, another study out of the University of California, San Francisco found that people with HIV had fewer — but more severe — SARS-CoV-2 infections than peers. That said, researchers suggested the lower infection rates could be driven by "greater caution and sheltering in place."[5]

Matthew A. Spinelli, MD, MAS, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco summarized: “Although the data are mixed, people with HIV, particularly those at lower CD4 counts, are likely at a somewhat higher risk of severe Covid-19. Vaccination is an important step to protect from severe Covid-19.”[6]

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged that the effect of HIV infection on Covid-19 outcomes is unclear. The agency's own Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) analyzed Covid-19 severity and Covid-19–associated deaths among hospitalized patients with HIV-infection in Zambia, which concluded: "HIV status alone was not significantly associated with severe Covid-19 at admission or during hospitalization or with Covid-19–associated death. However, among HIV-positive persons, those with severe HIV disease were more likely to develop severe Covid-19 and were at increased risk for Covid-19–associated death. Ensuring that persons maintain HIV disease control, including maintaining ART continuity and adherence, achieving viral suppression, and addressing and managing underlying medical conditions, could help reduce Covid-19–associated morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa."[7] 

Those findings were mirrored by a study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, which concluded people living with HIV/AIDS may be less susceptible to Covid-19. The AIIMS study indicates the seroprevalence of Covid-19 in people living with HIV/AIDS to be lower than the general population. However, researchers did caution that HIV-immunocompromised populations aren't necessarily at a lower risk for infections or hospitalizations.[8]

Photo Source: British HIV Association

"Puzzling" is a word coined by TheBody's Larry Buhl when he posed the question, "Could People Living With HIV Have Worse Outcomes From Covid-19, Even if Vaccinated?" Buhl's analysis does an excellent job at conceptualizing many of the concerns expressed by people living with HIV/AIDS who question the need for the jab.[9] "If I'm medication adherent and undetectable, then how can I be immunocompromised," is one of the statements we often hear from certain circles in the HIV community. What makes this article particularly useful is how Buhl tackles vaccine safety and efficacy.

What we have learned over the last year is that nothing is for certain, evidenced by one study suggesting the Covid-19 vaccination is as effective for people living with HIV as those without,[10] and yet another study results are showing that some people living with HIV have lower than expected antibody levels after receiving the Pfizer or Moderna Covid-19 vaccines.[11] As we continue to educate people living with HIV/AIDS about the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2, it is important to keep individual perspective in mind. It is easy to see how some unvaccinated peers view the ongoing pandemic through the sense of six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Ongoing education centers on HIV-positive patients should have no fear of Covid-19 vaccinations. “Interaction between ARVs (antiretroviral drugs) and Covid-19 vaccines has also been non-reactive, therefore it does not cause any harm to the patients,” says Kire Stojkovski, MD, a doctor at the Farr Institute. “It is therefore recommended for everyone to get vaccinated. Those patients with advanced (matured) HIV infections should be given an extra jab to make sure that they are well safeguarded from Covid-19.”[12]

We contend that getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is the best option for the HIV community. In fact, it is why last year we launched the #YourVaccineIsWaiting public awareness campaign. But there is no doubt still too many people living with HIV/AIDS are trying to make heads or tails over getting the jab. In fact, evidence suggests that the vaccination rates among our HIV-positive peers reflects rates among the general population.[13] There is never a bad time to educate someone about the benefits of being vaccinated against this virus, which has already taken 842,141 (as of January 11th) souls from us in the United States, alone.

[1] Waterfield, K.C., Shah, G.H., Etheredge, G.D. et al. Consequences of COVID-19 crisis for persons with HIV: the impact of social determinants of health. BMC Public Health 21, 299 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10296-9
[2] Dawson, L., Kates, J. (2021, May 20). Key Questions: HIV and COVID-19. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved online at https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/key-questions-hiv-and-covid-19/ 
[3] Miller, Beth (2021, May 21). Living with HIV during a global pandemic. Medical Xpress. Retrieved online at https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-05-hiv-global-pandemic.html
[4] Cox, Tracy (2021, May 11). People living with HIV more likely to get sick with, die from COVID-19. Medical Xpress. Retrieved online at https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-05-people-hiv-sick-die-covid-.html
[5] Dreisbach, Eamon N. (2021, May 9). People with HIV had fewer — but more severe — SARS-CoV-2 infections than peers. Healio. Retrieved online at https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20210506/people-with-hiv-had-fewer-but-more-severe-sarscov2-infections-than-peers?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=sociallinks 
[6] Dreisbach, Eamon N. (2021, May 9). People with HIV had fewer — but more severe — SARS-CoV-2 infections than peers. Healio. Retrieved online at https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20210506/people-with-hiv-had-fewer-but-more-severe-sarscov2-infections-than-peers?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=sociallinks 
[7] Chanda D, Minchella PA, Kampamba D, et al. COVID-19 Severity and COVID-19–Associated Deaths Among Hospitalized Patients with HIV Infection — Zambia, March–December 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:807–810. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7022a2external
[8] Pandey, Sahil (2021, June 30). People living with HIV/AIDS may be less susceptible to COVID: AIIMS study. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved online at https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/people-living-hiv-aids-may-113113395.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr
[9] Buhl, Larry (2021, July 6). Could People Living With HIV Have Worse Outcomes From COVID-19, Even if Vaccinated? The Body. Retrieved online at https://www.thebody.com/article/people-hiv-worse-outcomes-covid-19-vaccinated/?ic=700100 
[10] Cooper, Alex (2021, August 10). Study: COVID Vax as Effective for People With HIV as Those Without. Yahoo News. Retrieved online at https://news.yahoo.com/study-covid-vax-effective-people-183612408.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr
[11] Guerrero, Desirée (2021, November 3). Do COVID-19 Vaccines Work as Good for People Living with HIV? Yahoo News. Retrieved online at https://news.yahoo.com/covid-19-vaccines-good-people-161826829.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr
[12] Loria, Keith (2022, January 11). HIV Patients Should Have No Fear of COVID-19 Vaccinations. Managed Healthcare Executive. Retrieved online at https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/hiv-patients-should-have-no-fear-of-covid-19-vaccinations. 
[13] Melville, Nancy A. (2021, December 27). COVID-19 Vaccinations in People With HIV Reflect General Rates Despite Higher Mortality Risk, Study Says. Medscape. Retrieved online at https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/965585 

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates. 

Immunocompromised: Get Your Covid-19 Vaccine

By: Brandon M. Macsata, CEO, ADAP Advocacy Association

On March 2, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden announced the United States would have enough Covid-19 vaccines available for every American by the end of May,[1] thus accelerating by two full months what was already an ambitious plan. The new timeline came, in large part, thanks to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approving yet another vaccine, and recent developments between the Biden Administration and key drug manufacturers. For the HIV-positive community, it represented a glimmer of hope after recent studies suggested Covid-19 outcomes are worse for people living with HIV.

According to research conducted by James M. Tesoriero, PhD, Carol-Ann E. Swain, PhD, and Jennifer L. Pierce, BS (et al.) and published earlier this year in JAMA Network Open, "Persons living with an HIV diagnosis experienced poorer COVID-related outcomes (principally, higher rates of severe disease requiring hospitalization) relative to those without an HIV diagnosis." The study evaluated the association between HIV diagnosis and Covid-19 diagnosis, hospitalization, and in-hospital death in New York State, which was once seen as the epicenter in the United States.[2]

The study found New Yorkers living with diagnosed HIV received a diagnosis of Covid-19 at a rate of 27.7 per 1000, compared to only 19.4 per 1000 among persons living without diagnosed HIV. Covid-19 hospitalization rates were also elevated for persons living with diagnosed HIV compared to their counterparts living without diagnosed HIV (8.29 per 1000 vs 3.15 per 1000, respectively). The same elevated risk was true for persons living with diagnosed HIV and a Covid-19 diagnosis and died in the hospital.[3]

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) updated its Interim Guidance for COVID-19 and Persons with HIV, which reviews special considerations regarding Covid-19 for people with HIV and their health care providers in the United States. In response to the latest research the revised guidelines encourage PLWH to follow all applicable recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as to receive Covid-19 vaccines, regardless of CD4 or viral load.[4]

For people living with HIV, like many others living with chronic health conditions, gaining access to the Covid-19 vaccine is an entirely different challenge. According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), states set different Covid-19 vaccination priorities for people with high-risk conditions. Among them, twelve states list HIV as a qualifying condition for early access, while seven states  do so without specifying which health conditions are included under immunocompromised state.[5]

KFF summarized: "Overall, we found that there is wide variation across the country, including in the conditions listed by states, whether these are limited or allow for additional conditions to be considered, and how clearly the information is presented. Some states stick to the CDC’s list exactly, but most do not. It is also quite difficult to locate information.  Given the challenges and confusion with vaccine roll-out thus far, this variation and lack of clarity could have significant bearing on the ability of those with high-risk medical conditions, some of whom may be among the most vulnerable, to access the vaccine in early phases."

KFF continually monitors and updates populations eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine by state, which is available online on their state policy dashboard (as of March 15, 2021). These state policies are important because, in some cases, they adversely impact many non-elderly people with disabilities at high risk from Covid-19. Data suggests that people with disabilities who use long-term services and supports (LTSS) but live outside of nursing homes are at higher risk, yet often lack vaccine priority.[6]

TheBody's Tim Murphy provided an excellent summary on these vaccine developments as they relate to the HIV community, "Here’s the Latest on COVID-19 Vaccine Priority for People Living With HIV in the U.S." Murphy's analysis also shares some facts to keep in mind about HIV and the Coronavirus, which are worth reading.[7]

Pop culture has even weighed-in as "Queer Eye" star Jonathan Van Ness, who is HIV-positive, urged the HIV-positive community to look up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. It was a welcomed message to counter the dogmatic idea among certain circles that getting early access to the vaccine implied vulnerability or weakness. "If you’re HIV+ please check your states guidelines to see if you’re eligible and get vaccinated against covid-19," Van Ness pleaded.[8]

The announcement on the accelerated vaccine timeline by the Biden Administration could very well make it a mute-point. Vaccines will become available sooner to more Americans because the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna vaccine are now accompanied by the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. On the heels of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine approval by the FDA came news about the historic partnership between the company and its rival, Merck, to support manufacturing of the former’s single-shot Covid-19 vaccine.[9] 

Anthony Fauci, MD
(Photo Source: GettyImages)

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the nation’s top infectious disease expert, urged Americans not to be picky about which Covid-19 vaccine they receive. Fauci's plea came in response to misinformation about the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. He noted that any direct comparison isn't feasible because the three approved Covid-19 vaccines' clinical trials were conducted during different times, under different circumstances in the United States.[10]

Fauci's message as been echoed by other public health experts, too. The Kaiser Family Foundation explained, "don’t worry about the numbers." An analysis by KFF's Arthur Allen and Liz Szabo stresses some key points, among them: (1) all three vaccines protect against hospitalization and death; (2) efficacy levels could be a case of apples and oranges; (3) speed is of the essence; (4) some vaccines have different advantages.[11] 

Advocates living with HIV also appear to agree! Murray Penner, Prevention Access Campaign's North America Executive Director, urged his fellow residents of the DMV (also known as the District of Columbia) to get vaccinated, and take advantage of the expanded access for people with underlying health conditions (i.e., HIV). Penner, who participated in Moderna's clinical trials, used Twitter to spread the gospel of getting people vaccinated against Covid-19. The District of Columbia opened its vaccine eligibility on March 1, 2021.

Jen Laws, Board Member of the ADAP Advocacy Association, and HIV/transgender health advocate, addressed the misguided concerns over Johnson & Johnson's vaccine efficacy. Laws said that he kept an eye on data from the FDA's Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs), and further narrowed his focus to three benchmarks: inhibiting symptom development, morbidity, and transmissibility. Of the current US-approved vaccine products, Johnson & Johnson was the only to include data concerning transmissibility and efficacy against variants *in the application* as opposed to having plans to evaluate in post-market trials. For him, providing data more in alignment with traditional authorization applications absolutely helped ease any of his concerns about the speed of development. 

"While I'm excited about the use of mRNA vaccines and adding another tool in our tool-belt, viral vector method (J&J's product) has a longer track record of success as a technology, with minor genetic manipulation of existing vaccines - a 'piggy back' method that I trust my body to respond to better," Laws argued. "Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson also very intentionally included special populations, with 1,218 PLWH in trial phases used for the EUA which is exceptionally meaningful in terms of including us. We're still waiting on data to come back regarding our care metrics specific to HIV status, but it was this mindfulness of a long-term ally in industry that helps build necessary trust."

Building trust in the vaccines is at the center of the efforts by the advocacy community, government agencies, and the medical community. Vaccination hesitancy is now one of the biggest challenges, but progress is being made according to recent polling. Kaiser Family Foundation indicated, "The share that wants to 'wait and see' how the vaccine is working for others before getting vaccinated themselves decreased from 31% in January to 22% in February, while a persistent one in five say they will get the vaccine “only if required for work, school, or other activities” (7%) or will “definitely not” get vaccinated (15%)."[12]

However, specific to the HIV community, Dr. Princy N. Kumar, Professor of Medicine & Microbiology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, has a message for the remaining vaccine skeptics: "All currently approved Covid-19 vaccines are safe to administer in people living with HIV. For this reason, it's important that people living with HIV get whatever Covid-19 vaccine they are able to get, as soon as they can."

Dr. Kumar points to a study just presented at the Conference of Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2021 (Abstract 103), data looking at people living with HIV and solid organ transplant Patients, compared to HIV negative participants showed that in PLWH, once they are infected with Covid-19, had much higher rates of both hospitalizations and the need to be placed on a ventilator. This increased risk of hospitalization for PLWH is especially significant if they have underlying cardiopulmonary disease or renal disease.[13]

As the world marks the one year anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic tightening its grasp across the globe, it is important to reflect on what can be done to return the world back to 'normal' here in the United States. With the Biden Administration's leadership, it is evident that the country is turning the corner from the debacle leftover from the previous one. Vaccines are an important element of the journey, along with proven public health strategies (i.e., wearing masks, remaining social distant, washing hands). For the HIV-positive community, it is even more important for us to do our collective part to protect ourselves, as well as the people around us. Get your Covid-19 vaccine!

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates.

[1] Brenton Blanchet (2021, March 2). Biden Promises 'Enough Vaccines' for Every American by End of May. Yahoo!News. Retrieved online at https://news.yahoo.com/biden-promises-enough-vaccines-every-230146965.html. 

[2] James M. Tesoriero, PhD,  Carol-Ann E. Swain, PhD, Jennifer L. Pierce, BS, et al (2021, February 3). COVID-19 Outcomes Among Persons Living With or Without Diagnosed HIV Infection in New York State. JAMA Network Open. Retrieved online at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2775827. 

[3] James M. Tesoriero, PhD,  Carol-Ann E. Swain, PhD, Jennifer L. Pierce, BS, et al (2021, February 3). COVID-19 Outcomes Among Persons Living With or Without Diagnosed HIV Infection in New York State. JAMA Network Open. Retrieved online at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2775827. 

[4] HIV.gov (2021, February 26). Guidance for COVID-19 and People with HIV. U.S Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved online at https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines/covid-19-and-persons-hiv-interim-guidance/interim-guidance-covid-19-and-persons-hiv.

[5] Jennifer Kates, Lindsey Dawson, and Jennifer Tolbert (2021, February 16). The Next Phase of Vaccine Distribution: High-Risk Medical Conditions. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved online at https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/the-next-phase-of-vaccine-distribution-high-risk-medical-conditions/.

[6] MaryBeth Musumeci and Priya Chidambaram (2021, March 1). COVID-19 Vaccine Access for People with Disabilities. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved online at https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/covid-19-vaccine-access-for-people-with-disabilities/.  

[7] Tim Murphy (2021, March 2). Here’s the Latest on COVID-19 Vaccine Priority for People Living With HIV in the U.S. The Body. Retrieved online at https://www.thebody.com/article/hiv-covid-19-coronavirus-vaccine-priority?ic=700100.  

[8] Megan Stone (2021, February 24). Jonathan Van Ness urges HIV-positive community to look up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. Good Morning American. Retrieved online at https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/jonathan-van-ness-urges-hiv-positive-community-covid-76085002.

[9] Zacks Equity Research (2021, March 3). Merck (MRK) to Help J&J Make COVID-19 Vaccine to Boost Supply. Yahoo!Finance. Retrieved online at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/merck-mrk-help-j-j-122012149.html.

[10] Sarah Grealish (2021, February 28). Dr Fauci begs Americans NOT to be choosy about Covid vaccines after Johnson & Johnson one shot vax approved. The U.S. Sun. Retrieved online at https://www.the-sun.com/news/2424964/fauci-begs-americans-not-to-be-choosy-about-vaccines/.

[11] Arthur Allen and Liz Szabo (2021, February 28). When Your Chance for a Covid Shot Comes, Don’t Worry About the Numbers. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved online at https://khn.org/news/article/when-your-chance-for-a-covid-shot-comes-dont-worry-about-the-numbers/.

[12] Liz Hamel, Grace Sparks, and Mollyann Brodie (2021, February 26). KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: February 2021. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved online at https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-february-2021/.

[13] Princy N. Kumar, MD, FIDSA, MACP. Interview conducted by Brandon M. Macsata on Friday, March 12, 2021.

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical Trials MUST Include PLWHAs

By: Sarah Hooper,  intern, ADAP Advocacy Association, and rising senior at East Carolina University

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its ninth month, the world is still struggling to create a vaccination and find medication to treat the virus properly. President Trump has been saying for months that the vaccine trials and research are going well, and America should expect a vaccination by the end of the year. While this sentiment is hopeful (and considered by many to be driven by politics and not science), it does exclude the major process involved in vaccination trials: testing trials, which can take months to years. 

Photo Source: health management.com

Vaccination trials have begun around the world but are a slow process. One vital aspect of these trials is testing and planning for the immunocompromised population, who are often most affected by the diseases typically vaccinated for. In a vaccination trial for COVID-19 by Moderna Inc., the biotechnology company initially excluded people living with HIV from COVID-19 vaccine trials (Smart Brief).

After pressure and lobbying from HIV advocates, the biotech company expanded their vaccine trials to include HIV positive persons. 

“Moderna Inc. is committed to working with all communities who could benefit from our COVID-19 vaccine. While we had always planned to evaluate mRNA-1273 in people living with HIV (PLWH) in a separate study, as we are doing for other participant groups, we have heard the preference of the community to be included in the ongoing Phase 3 study in the U.S.,” Moderna Inc. shared on their Twitter account on Aug. 5. (Twitter).

Photo Source: Moderna

Those with underlying health conditions such as HIV and those above the age of 50 are at highest risk for COVID-19. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), nearly half of people in the United States who are diagnosed with HIV are 50 and older. (CDC)

As COVID-19 is a relatively new virus, the long-term effects of it are unknown on those with HIV. As of now, there is no evidence to suggest those with HIV have an increased risk of infection and severity of illness if they were to contract COVID-19, according to the Journal of the International AIDS Society. 

“It is thought that people living with HIV who have achieved viral suppression through antiretroviral treatment and do not have a low CD4 count will be affected by COVID-19 in a similar way to what a person not living with HIV would be, based on other coronavirus-caused disease outbreaks such as SARS (caused by SARS-CoV-1) and MERS (caused by MERS-CoV), where only a few cases of mild disease among people living with HIV were reported,” said JIAS. (JIAS) 

In an opinion article written for the website Devex in late May of this year, Mitchell Warren makes an excellent observation about the connection between the COVID-19 vaccination trials and what we can learn from previous experience with the HIV responses around the world. 

“As we know so well from over 40 years of experience in the HIV response, developing and delivering prevention and treatment options at scale is essential to containing an epidemic. But no durable and sustainable end to any epidemic is possible without a vaccine,” Warren said. (Devex)

Vaccine trials are expected to continue through the end of the year and into 2021, until a proper vaccination is discovered for COVID-19. Until then, the CDC recommends all those with underlying health conditions such as HIV take extra precautions while going out in public and conversing with others. It is equally important the PLWHA not be excluded from the clinical trials for any COVID-19 vaccination

References:

• Moderna. (2020, August 05). Today, we are sharing an important update about our protocol for the Phase 3 COVE Study of mRNA-1273, our vaccine candidate against COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/jigTXUi9v2. Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://twitter.com/moderna_tx/status/1291056643464192001?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1291056643464192001|twgr^
• People with HIV to join Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial. (2020, August 10). Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://www.smartbrief.com/branded/D4C8EBAD-9C67-4D55-869C-CC2C8F893F9E/83E1E967-BCC2-4A2E-AF19-D2FCF2C8EBF2
• Warren, M. (2020, May 27). Opinion: To accelerate search for COVID-19 vaccine, look to HIV and act globally. Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-to-accelerate-search-for-covid-19-vaccine-look-to-hiv-and-act-globally-97267
• What to Know About HIV and COVID-19. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/hiv.html
• What you need to know. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://www.iasociety.org/covid-19-hiv

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates.