COVID‐19 vaccination hesitancy among people with chronic neurological disorders: A position paper

Abstract

Background and purpose Health risks associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are undisputed. Moreover, the capability of vaccination to prevent symptomatic, severe, and fatal COVID‐19 is recognized. There is also early evidence that vaccination can reduce the chance for long COVID‐19. Nonetheless, the willingness to get vaccinated and receive booster shots remains subpar among people with neurologic disorders. Vaccine scepticism not only jeopardizes collective efforts to end the COVID‐19 pandemic but puts individual lives at risk, as some chronic neurologic diseases are associated with a higher risk for an unfavorable COVID‐19 course. Methods In this position paper, the NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) summarizes the current knowledge on the prognosis of COVID‐19 among patients with neurologic disease, elucidates potential barriers to vaccination coverage, and formulates strategies to overcome vaccination hesitancy. A survey among the Task Force members on the phenomenon of vaccination hesitancy among people with neurologic disease supports the lines of argumentation. Results The study revealed that people with multiple sclerosis and other nervous system autoimmune disorders are most skeptical of SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination. The prevailing concerns included the chance of worsening the pre‐existing neurological condition, vaccination‐related adverse events, and drug interaction. Conclusions The EAN NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force reinforces the key role of neurologists as advocates of COVID‐19 vaccination. Neurologists need to argue in the interest of their patients about the overwhelming individual and global benefits of COVID‐19 vaccination. Moreover, they need to keep on eye on this vulnerable patient group, its concerns, and the emergence of potential safety signals.

Factors affecting the intention of COVID-19 vaccination in Korean patients with myasthenia gravis: A survey-based study

“…For instance, education level, residence, selfperception toward the disease, income and political ideology are consistently found to be associated with vaccination will despite the differences in geographical region, race, and severity of the target disease (32)(33)(34). In a recent online survey conducted by European Academy of Neurology, main concerns on vaccination among the individuals with chronic neurological disorders included the chance of worsening of neurological disease and interaction with previously taking medications, which are very similar to the present result despite the geographical and ethnic difference (14). Therefore, although not identical, similar trend could be observed in the acceptance toward the vaccination among the patient with myasthenia gravis in different regions and different circumstances.…”

“…Recently, the NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology conducted an online survey to find that COVID-19 vaccination skepticism is common among the patients with autoimmune neurological disease, thus being a threat to ending the pandemic. The Task Force highlighted the strategic role of neurologists in overcoming vaccine skepticism (14). In the present study, ∼ one third of patients with MG were hesitant or neutral to get vaccinated against COVID-19.…”

Shared genetics and causal associations between COVID‐19 and multiple sclerosis

“…On the other hand, genetic liability to MS may not increase the risk for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection as such. It seems that the differences in vulnerability to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may be due to some prevention disparity between healthy individuals and those suffering from MS, possibly related to vaccine hesitancy in the MS cohort, 35 rather than to underlining genetics. On the other hand, the severity of the resultant disease may differ in these two groups.…”

Evaluation of the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with MS, NMOSD, and MOGAD

“…This result may reflect the prevalent vaccine hesitancy among the MS, NMOSD, and MOGAD patients. A survey study on COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in patients with chronic neurological disorders conducted by the European Academy of Neurology NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force [ 28 ] reported that patients, particularly those with autoimmune CNS disorders and MS, were reluctant to be vaccinated. Our study confirms this tendency.…”