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Fact Checked
People With Mental Health Conditions Are at High Risk for COVID-19, So Why Aren t They Being Prioritized
Written by Shawn Radcliffe on February 20, 2021 Fact checked by Jennifer Chesak
People with depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder may be at higher risk for developing COVID-19. Halfpoint Images/Getty Images
People with severe mental illness are at higher risk for COVID-19 but are unlikely to be prioritized to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
People diagnosed with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or schizophrenia are much more likely to contract the new coronavirus than people without severe mental illness.
Credit: Livia De Picker
A survey by Europe s main psychiatric and mental health patient organisations shows that only 4 out of 20 European countries prioritise COVID vaccinations for individuals with severe mental disorders (such as psychosis and mood problems), despite a wealth of scientific evidence showing that these patients are amongst the most at risk. This is published today in the peer-reviewed journal
Lancet Psychiatry.
The authors of the paper, and the major European mental health organisations, call for the European Union, as well as national health authorities to take concerted action to protect these vulnerable patients.
The authors reviewed official publicly available vaccine deployment plans and contacted clinicians in 20 European countries to confirm national vaccination policies. They found that only the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and the UK recognise severe mental illness as a high-risk medical condition eligible for early vaccination. Strikingly, the majo
Severe mental illness and European COVID-19 vaccination strategies thelancet.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thelancet.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.