The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID-19 vaccination guidelines for people with underlying health conditions, including people with HIV, autoimmune conditions, and Bell’s palsy.

What You Need To Know

  • The CDC updated its COVID-19 vaccination guidelines for people with underlying health conditions

  • People with underlying medical conditions may receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC, "provided they have not had a severe allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine"

  • The CDC issued guidelines for people with conditions such as with HIV, autoimmune conditions, and Bell’s palsy

  • People who receive COVID-19 vaccines should continue to wear masks and practice proper social distancing, according to the CDC

The CDC noted that "mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may be administered to people with underlying medical conditions" – those who are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill with the novel coronavirus – "provided they have not had a severe allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine."

The CDC also advised that people who receive COVID-19 vaccines should continue to follow guidelines put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, including wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, following recommended social distancing guidelines, and practicing proper hand-washing.

Here is the updated guidance from the CDC:

People With Weakened Immune Systems

The CDC advised that people with HIV and weakened immune systems may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 infections, and may receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but safety information for that specific group is not yet available.

"People living with HIV were included in clinical trials," the CDC noted, "though safety data specific to this group are not yet available at this time."

People With Autoimmune Conditions

The same guidance is true for those with autoimmune conditions – they may receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but "no data are currently available on the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for them."

Individuals with autoimmune conditions were eligible to participate in COVID-19 vaccination trials, per the CDC.

People Who Have Previously Had Guillain-Barre Syndrome

"To date, no cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) have been reported following vaccination among participants in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials," the CDC noted.

According to the National Institutes of Health, GBS "is a rare neurological disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system."

The CDC notes that people with GBS may receive a COVID-19 vaccination, though experts are still researching.

People Who Have Previously Had Bell’s Palsy

While people who received the COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials reported experiencing Bell's palsy, the FDA "does not consider these to be above the rate expected in the general population" and have not concluded that the cases were caused by the vaccine.

"Therefore, persons who have previously had Bell’s Palsy may receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine," the CDC said, but experts are still gathering more data.