COVID-19 Vaccination for People with Severe Mental Illness: Why, What, and How?

Overview

Journal Lancet Psychiatry

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2021 Feb 6

PMID 33548184

Citations 88

Authors

Victor Mazereel

Kristof Van Assche

Johan Detraux

Marc De Hert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders, and especially severe mental illness, are associated with an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. People with severe mental illness should therefore be prioritised in vaccine allocation strategies. Here, we discuss the risk for worse COVID-19 outcomes in this vulnerable group, the effect of severe mental illness and psychotropic medications on vaccination response, the attitudes of people with severe mental illness towards vaccination, and, the potential barriers to, and possible solutions for, an efficient vaccination programme in this population.

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