Call for people with diabetes and obesity to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination
Reporter:
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People with diabetes and obesity should be prioritised for early COVID-19 vaccination, according to both Metabolic Doctors and Diabetes Ireland.
The Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (IrSPEN) said that diabetes and obesity have emerged as significant underlying risk factors for developing severe illness from COVID-19 – and these patients should also be prioritised for continuity of treatment during the pandemic.
IrSPEN spokesperson and Obesity Specialist at St Vincent’s University Hospital Professor Carel le Roux said: “Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are currently filling up with many younger patients who have underlying diabetes and obesity and have contracted COVID-19.