Evaluation of safety and efficacy of the novel coronavirus vaccine in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

Abstract

There are very few studies reporting the safety and efficacy of the novel coronavirusdisease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in patients with severe motor and intellectualdisabilities (SMID). This has led to anxiety within the families of these patients. We conducted a prospective study of the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccination in 124 patients with SMID (13 to 85 years old) who were vaccinated twice at our facility. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and immunoglobulin G antibodies were determined in 30 of them. Systemic adverse reactions such as fever and local reactions were more prominent after the second inoculation compared to after the first one. No cases of death or anaphylaxis after vaccination were recorded, indicating that the vaccine was safe. However, careful observation of changes in physical condition after vaccination was necessary. The antibody titer against spike protein considerably increased after two vaccinations, with a more notable increase observed with in the younger age group (10 to 20s). Thus, this study confirmed the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for patients with SMID.