Coronavirus: Things immunocompromised people need to keep in mind as COVID-19 restrictions ease

The SARs-CoV-2 virus impacts our body in different ways. While some experience a range of symptoms, there are those who remain asymptomatic. Some recover instantly, while others continue to battle lingering symptoms. There is absolutely no telling in advance what people may or may not experience once they get infected. However, health agencies have recognized groups of people who are at a greater risk of COVID-19 infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have declared people older than 60 years old, those with underlying medical conditions and immunocompromised people as high risk groups. This means that they're not only more prone to contracting the illness, but their infection could be highly severe.

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People with a compromised immunity have a weakened immune system that does not respond to or fight against foreign pathogens and viral infections. This compromises the health of the body and leads to severe infection. A person can be immunocompromised because of several factors. It could be associated with aging, genetics, having a chronic illness or due to certain medications. People who have recently undergone surgery or are receiving immunosuppressants are likely to have a compromised immunity too.

All in all, immunocompromised people are not usually in the condition to battle deadly viruses like the novel coronavirus. That said, even amid declining COVID cases, here are some of the things vulnerable groups of people should bear in mind.

Vaccination is currently your safest and most reliable bet against COVID-19. While new emerging variants are said to render the existing COVID vaccines ineffective, prioritizing vaccination is still the best way to keep yourself and others safe from severe illness. While it promises nothing and breakthrough infections are still a possibility, clinical studies have backed the efficacy of existing vaccines.

As per experts, booster shots remain the step ahead in curbing the spread of the virus. Given that both natural and vaccine-induced immunity wane over time, a vaccine booster is said to re-expose the body to the viral particle, triggering an immune response and producing antibodies to fight future infections.

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A breakthrough infection occurs when a fully vaccinated individual contracts the SARs-COV-2 virus. With a large population vaccinated, many breakthrough cases have come to the fore in the recent past. However, when it comes to immunocompromised individuals, a breakthrough infection has a higher probability to occur.

A recent study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that people with compromised immunity are at a significantly higher risk for COVID-19 breakthrough infection after vaccination than people who are not immunocompromised. The study concluded that the proportion of people with breakthrough infections was three times higher among immunocompromised individuals at 0.18 percent compared to non-immunocompromised people at 0.06 percent.

Vaccinated or not, people can still get COVID, more so if they're immunocompromised.

That said, irrespective of whether COVID restrictions have been lifted or not, those who fall under the high risk category must follow all the precautionary measures. Wear your masks regularly, especially when you're visiting outdoors and maintain distance from those who show signs of respiratory illness.

Continue following proper hand hygiene.

Those who are fit and healthy need to be more mindful of their actions. If you know someone who is immunocompromised, make sure you take proper precautions. Those who are still unvaccinated should get their shots immediately. If you're suffering from an infection, maintain distance from those who are at risk. Wear your masks and make you maintain good hygiene.