Coronavirus vaccination: Doctors advise elderly with health conditions to practice caution

Doctors have advised Pakistan's elderly population who have certain health conditions to consult their doctor before going ahead with the coronavirus vaccine.

This applies specifically to people with high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Health experts have highlighted that having stable blood pressure when getting the vaccine is important.

Dr Saeed Khan from the Dow University Hospital, Ojha campus says cancer and chemotherapy patients, people with blood diseases as well as pregnant women cannot be vaccinated.

He said people who are cancer patients or those taking immunosuppressants should consult a doctor before getting the vaccine.

Lactating mothers, people with epilepsy or  a blood or bleeding disorder should not get the coronavirus vaccine either, he said.

The vaccine itself is safe, but one can not be sure of its reaction to a patient’s pre-conditions.

If you have a health condition, it is best to inform the staff at the vaccination centre so that all ambiguities can be removed before vaccination.

Currently, registration for the coronavirus vaccine is open for Pakistanis over 50 years old. The country is using the Sinopharm vaccine developed by state-run China National Pharmaceutical Group, which has shown to be 79% effective against preventing the disease.