This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded in March 2021. 

Guest:  Gregory A. Poland, M.D. (@drgregpoland) 

Host: DeeDee Stiepan (@deedeestiepan) 

Millions of people in the U.S. are being vaccinated for COVID-19. However, discussion is ongoing as to whether people who are immunocompromised, such as patients undergoing cancer treatment, or people who have autoimmune diseases, should be vaccinated for COVID-19. 

«Both of those categories (of people) should be vaccinated,» says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group. «Those are not contraindications. Those are indications to get the vaccine.» He adds that research is ongoing, but current information demonstrates the benefits far outweigh the theoretical risks. 

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland talks about vaccine hesitancy, and patients who are immunocompromised or have autoimmune conditions. Also, he discusses next steps in the journey to vaccinate children for COVID-19. And he reviews recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Control about in-person gatherings. 

AskMayoExpert COVID-19 Resources: https://askmayoexpert.mayoclinic.org/navigator/COVID-19 

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.