HYDERABAD: Covid-19 vaccination doesn’t cause Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), point out city doctors.
GBS is a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves.
The handful of cases reported in the country are merely coincidental and not triggered by vaccination.
They said that GBS is triggered by viruses and Covid-19 is known to cause this rare disease, and added that to link GBS with vaccination is wrong as several research studies have proved that Covid-19 vaccines do not trigger GBS.
“Understanding the epidemiology of rare diseases that will occur invariably by coincidence rather than scientific doctrine is important,” said Dr P Ranganadham, consultant neurosurgeon, Sunshine Hospitals, Gachibowli, referring to sporadic incidents of GBS.
He said that it is one off incidence rather than vaccine causative.
Stating that such sporadic cases would lead to vaccine hesitancy, which is still rampant in the country, Dr Ranganadham said a large epidemiological study by Stephen Keddie and others published in the leading scientific journal ‘Brain’ found no association between Covid-19 vaccines and GBS.
In fact, Dr Ranganadham said the incidence of GBS has come down during lockdown as people avoided junk food.
“Contaminated food containing Campylobacter jejuni, a type of bacteria, may result in GBS,” he said.
Dr Gundluru Varun Reddy, consultant neurologist, Yashoda Hospitals, said that without careful statistical analysis and proper studies it would be wrong to associate Covid-19 vaccination and GBS.
“For an individual the lifetime risk of acquiring GBS is 1:1000 and the annual GBS incidence is 1.7 persons per one lakh population.
So, during the period of this massive vaccination campaign, naturally also some cases of GBS are bound to occur and it would not be correct to assume it as a causal association,” Dr Varun Reddy said.
He said that when vaccinations are offering the best chance in preventing further waves of Covid-19, it would not be wise to promote myths pertaining to vaccinations without further scientific corroboration.