Diminished COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Observed in Nearly Half of Lung Disease Cases, Study Shows

In a small study, researchers found that COVID-19 vaccine response varies for those with lung ailments.

A health-care worker prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a UHN COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Toronto on Jan. 7, 2021. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

A new study involving 63 participants conducted by National Jewish Health has raised questions about the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with chronic lung diseases. Research has predominantly focused on the vaccine’s efficacy in healthy populations, leaving a gap in understanding its impact on those with respiratory issues.

“Most of the studies for the COVID vaccine have focused on how well the vaccine protects healthy people,” said senior study author R. Lee Reinhardt, who holds a doctorate in microbiology, immunology, and cancer biology in a press release. “There is not a lot of data available to know if it protects people with respiratory conditions the same way.”