UPDATED January 18, 2024
The physicians of the Adult Down Syndrome Center recommend that individuals with Down syndrome ages 12 years and older who do not have a contraindication follow the recommendations of the CDC .png "opens in new window")
and stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations by getting at least one updated Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax vaccine.
Previous studies have shown that individuals with Down syndrome and people with any intellectual disability have an increased vulnerability to COVID-19 infection. This includes the likelihood of getting COVID-19 infection and dying from COVID-19 infection.
In addition, previous studies by Valentini et al. (2022) and Huls et al. (2022) have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in people with Down syndrome.
A study in the United Kingdom published in January 2024 showed that not getting the full complement of recommended vaccines for COVID-19 is associated with an elevated risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization or death). This study was done on the population in general, not specifically for people with Down syndrome or an intellectual disability.
As with most of the information we share in our Resource Library, we recommend that individuals with Down syndrome and their families discuss the vaccine and their particular circumstances with their health care provider.
Additional information is available in the COVID-19 section of our Resource Library.