Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe to take for psoriasis patients?

Many people with psoriasis wonder whether it’s okay to get vaccinated against Covid-19. It can be scary when you have skin that’s vulnerable to bacterial infections and scarring, which is one reason why doctors may advise patients against vaccines during periods of active disease. The good news is that physicians are aware that psoriasis sometimes comes and goes or even gets better in some regions of your body. There are several vaccines you can get, including COVID-19, and while it’s always best to check with your doc before getting vaccinated, there’s no reason why you should be prevented from vaccination.

Do I need to talk to my doctor before taking the Covid-19 Vaccination?
If you are taking any immunosuppressant drug, make sure that you mention this to your doctor. If you are not on any such medication, ask your doctor if it’s okay to get vaccinated. Even if you have psoriasis, vaccination is safe and can even boost your immune system so that there’s less chance of infection.

Can I take Covid-19 Vaccination when I’ve experienced a flare?
If your skin is too sensitive or damaged at the moment, talk to your doctor about how you can downplay the risk of side effects. The most common detrimental effects are a slight fever and pain at the site where the vaccine was administered. You should also know that getting vaccinated when you have the active disease may increase the chances of infection in some cases, which means that you need to watch closely for signs of infection such as redness and swelling near the injection site.

Do I have to stop my psoriasis medications if I have to take the Covid-19 vaccination?
It is advisable not to stop your psoriasis medications without consulting your doctor. Your physician might want to control the drug for a couple of days before administering the vaccine to determine how you react to it. In case you are on any immunosuppressant medicines, consult with a doctor before taking them together. Also, inform the doctor about your present condition to give the best guidance regarding the same.

Shall I delay taking Covid-19 vaccination if I have psoriasis?
No, there is no need to delay the vaccine as psoriasis has a fluctuating course. A couple of days of medication or even discontinuation will not impact your condition or response to the vaccine. If you are on any other medication that might interfere with vaccination, you can discontinue the medication if your doctor advises you before taking the Covid-19 vaccination.

Will my psoriasis flare up if I take Covid-19 Vaccination?
Covid-19 vaccination is usually safe when you have active psoriasis. Your doctor might even want to stop your medication for a couple of days before administering the vaccine to monitor the effect of vaccination on your condition. If you are taking any medication that can interfere with the Covid-19 vaccine, inform your doctor about this beforehand.

What are the possible side effects of COVID-19?
COVID-19 may cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and headache within few hours after taking it. Some patients might be allergic to specific ingredients in Covid-19, including sodium borate, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal (including trace amounts). Symptoms of an allergy include rashes or hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and loss of consciousness.

What are the signs and symptoms I can get my psoriasis flare-up after the Covid-19 Vaccination?
New psoriasis flare-up has various signs and symptoms, such as skin lesions (often reddish with a scaly appearance). If you have these, check with your doctor to see if it’s psoriasis), joint pain, swelling in the big joints in your body, fatigue or lack of energy, muscle aches and weakness, fever, chills, headache, eye irritation in some cases, mild vision loss, and diarrhea.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine recommended by doctors when they diagnose me with psoriasis?
COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for psoriatic patients too. It helps them fight the infection. This vaccine is also indicated for patients who have experienced a flare in their disease. However, it’s best to discuss all such issues with your doctor since they know your medical history better.

What tests will I need when my doctor prescribes me Covid-19 Vaccination?
Your doctor will initially assess your overall health to ascertain if you are fit for this vaccine or not. You need to give details regarding your medical history, present condition, and allergies (if any). Before administering the vaccine, your doctor might also recommend blood tests, chest x-ray, electrocardiograms, etc.

You should provide your doctor with complete information about yourself to give the best advice on the same. Write down all the questions you wish to ask the physician before the visit. You should inform them of all past severe illnesses or long-term medical conditions such as heart problems, asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol, epilepsy, etc.

What precautions shall I take to prevent myself from coronavirus if I have psoriasis?

1. Cleaning hands with soap and warm water after touching your face is also recommended.
2. Clean contaminated surfaces using detergent, bleach, or a mixture of both, then rinse off with clean running water for at least 5 minutes.
3. If you have been digging in the dirt or sand, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before eating food.
4. Wear gloves when handling soil/dirt/sand and animal feces, even if it seems clean from afar.
5. Cover your mouth and nose adequately, especially when sneezing, so your saliva doesn’t splash on the environment.
6. Avoid close contact with people suffering from coronavirus infection.
7. Do not touch your eyes or nose after contact with contaminated items or surfaces like soil, milk carton, etc.
8. Avoid sharing towels and facial tissue even if it seems clean (make sure you wash them thoroughly).
9. Wear protective clothing, including a mask, gloves, and boots when playing in the wild or gardening, to avoid any contamination of skin injuries caused by sharp objects like thorn bush thorns, glass cuts, etc., where coronavirus can quickly enter the body through open wounds on the skin.
10. Dispose properly of all used needles, whether for medical purposes or personal use, so that they won infect others with coronavirus.
11. Thoroughly cook meat and poultry and wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
12. Washable clothing should be washed in hot water (more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit) or dry cleaned to prevent coronavirus from contaminating your body.
13. Make sure that all family members and friends follow these preventive measures to avoid contracting this disease as early as possible as it can lead to various incurable conditions, including the death of the patient.

As it suggested to wash hands frequently, what precautions should psoriasis patients take?
Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent coronavirus and spreading germs to others. But if you have psoriasis, when you wash your hands with soap and water under running water for at least 15 seconds, it can dry out your skin even more.

Here are some things that may help:

• Wash your hands only when necessary, not after every little task or contact with things that might carry germs. Be aware of activities where contact with germs is likely, such as touching doorknobs in public places or shaking hands during a greeting.
• If possible, use warm instead of hot water when washing your hands. Hot water causes the pores of the skin on and around psoriatic plaques to open, increasing the severity of the condition.
• When possible, use a moisturizing soap with alpha-hydroxy acids. These may help your skin retain moisture better than other soaps. Avoid scented soaps and choose unscented ones instead if you have open sores or cracks in your skin.
• Rinse your hands thoroughly after washing them with soap and water under running water for at least 15 seconds. This helps remove all traces of the cleanser and decreases irritation to your skin.
• Moisturize dry skin on your hands immediately afterward to reduce chipping or cracking that might occur from frequent hand washing. Keep a bottle of lotion by the sink so you can apply it while you are drying your hands.
• Use moisturizing soap and a different moisturizing lotion. This may help your skin better retain moisture after washing, lessening irritation from hand washing.
• Gloves can also protect your skin from frequent hand washing. If you have sores on your hands that do not get better with gentle care, wearing gloves when doing things like taking out the trash or mopping the floor might be helpful. You might want to avoid activities where you need to take off the gloves if they are too thick or difficult to put on and remove.

Is Covid-19 vaccination effective for patients who have psoriasis?
Yes, it is adequate to prevent coronavirus. The Covid-19 vaccine provided optimum protection against coronavirus infection, confirmed by the fact that even low doses of the virus could induce detectable cellular response (TCR) in vaccinated mice. Unlike other vaccinations, it has no side effects or secondary infections.

Talk to your skin doctor or dermatologist in case of doubt related to the Covid-19 vaccination?
The covid-19 vaccine is a new product for vaccination against coronavirus. It is related to the improvement of the immune system, and it has been proved that its use leads to an increase in the number of antibodies. Its immunogenicity is very low, but still, some doubts have been raised about its use.

Will I have significant side effects of Covid-19 vaccination if I have psoriasis?
Studies say that the medication is generally safe for most adults with psoriasis. It would also be a good idea to ask your doctor how soon after delivery you should receive the vaccination. However, some cases of more serious adverse reactions have been reported among patients with severe psoriasis. Therefore, you should tell your doctor if you have had severe side effects from any vaccination prior. Immediately seek medical assistance.

Could the Covid-19 vaccine interact with my psoriasis medications in any way?
The Covid-19 vaccine is made from dendritic cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in your immune system. It is believed to be safe for people with psoriasis. However, as with all new medicines and vaccines, it’s possible some side effects may not have been discovered yet or occurred so rarely they may never have been reported. There are no laboratory tests needed before you start having the vaccine shots. No additional medication changes should be necessary for patients on current medications for psoriasis unless advised by their physician/health care provider.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 vaccine is safe to take for psoriasis patients as well as healthy individuals. The COVID-19 Vaccine protects against coronavirus. However, anyone sick or feeling under the weather should wait to take this vaccine until they have fully recovered. It is essential to take the COVID-19 vaccine because it gives you a boost of immunity against coronavirus. The immune system protecting the skin is weakened in patients with psoriasis, thus allowing bacteria and viruses to take hold and cause infection, which triggers psoriatic flares. The COVID-19 vaccine works by boosting the immune system’s response by using small fragments (antigens) of both coronaviruses. For more information regarding psoriasis, you can check our website, and you can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy to seek a detailed consultation regarding psoriasis and the Covid-19 vaccine!