Hi all,
I’ve been following this discussion and people’s posts about neuropathy (and other conditions), COVID infection risk and whether to get vaccinated. I understand and respect all sides of the debate. People are understandably concerned about the possibility that a vaccine or COVID-19 infection could exacerbate or worsen existing health issues or cause new ones.

To help inform this discussion, I reached out to physician experts at Mayo Clinic: Dr. Ravindra Ganesh, who leads the COVID Frontline Care Team (CFCT) efforts, as well as the Post-COVID Clinic, at Mayo Clinic and Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn, who leads the Mayo Clinic COVID Activity Rehabilitation Program (CARP). They are also two of the authors of the Post-COVID Recovery blog on Mayo Clinic Connect.

Drs Ganesh and Vanichkachorn (Dr. Van):
“The risk versus benefit analysis is unique to each patient. There are risks from this new vaccine. It is a brand-new method of vaccination. There are also risks of not getting the vaccine, mainly getting COVID-19 or getting it a second time. The risks of COVID infection include death or Post COVID Syndrome.

CY: Can the COVID vaccine trigger or worsen neuropathy in patients who already have neuropathy?
GV: No, not that I have heard of.
RG: It is possible for the immune response to anything including a vaccine to worsen symptoms mediated by an autoimmune condition. There is no clear connection for other kinds of neuropathy e.g., diabetic.

CY: Is there evidence that suggests people with neuropathy should wait to get the vaccine if the risk to COVID-19 exposure is low?
GV: No.
RG: No, I would recommend that people get vaccinated to minimize their risk of COVID-19 regardless of their exposure risk.

CY: Can getting COVID infection cause neuropathy or worsen existing neuropathy?
GV: Yes. We have seen both.
RG: Yes, probably to a greater extent than the vaccine.

CY: What are the pros and cons of getting the COVID vaccine for people with neuropathy?
GV: Some patients with neuropathy due to COVID infection report full recovery after getting the vaccine. Cons is some people get soreness, fever, and fatigue for a few days after each dose.
RG: Some people experience benefit in terms of symptoms, some report worsening symptoms, most will not experience a difference.

CY: Have people died as a result of getting the vaccine?
GV: No, not that I have heard of from the vaccine solely. There are usually other medical issues at play.
RG: Not to our current knowledge. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html

Dr Van, shared: “In my opinion, the risks of the vaccine are less than the risk of getting COVID-19. In the end, I would vaccinate my parents, my wife, my kids, rather than get COVID-19.”

Our goal is to provide the latest information from Mayo Clinic experts - information that is accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may change. For this reason, I thank all members for maintaining understanding and respect as people analyze the data and make decisions right for them given their often-complex health concerns.

Stay up-to-date with the latest COVID information from Mayo experts:
- Dr. Gregory Poland in his weekly COVID Q&A video https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/podcasts/
- Dr. Ganesh and Dr. Van in the Post-COVID Recovery blog: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/