COVID-19 Vaccination of Individuals with Down Syndrome—Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey on Safety, Efficacy, and Factors Associated with the Decision to Be Vaccinated
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are among the groups with the highest risk for
severe COVID-19. Better understanding of the efficacy and risks of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals
with DS may help improve uptake of vaccination. The T21RS COVID-19 Initiative launched an
international survey to obtain information on safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals
with DS. De-identified survey data collected between March and December 2021 were analyzed.
Of 2172 individuals with DS, 1973 (91%) had received at least one vaccine dose (57% BNT162b2),
107 (5%) were unvaccinated by choice, and 92 (4%) were unvaccinated for other reasons. Most
participants had either no side effects (54%) or mild ones such as pain at the injection site (29%),
fatigue (12%), and fever (7%). Severe side effects occurred in <0.5% of participants. About 1% of the
vaccinated individuals with DS contracted COVID-19 after vaccination, and all recovered. Individuals
with DS who were unvaccinated by choice were more likely to be younger, previously recovered
from COVID-19, and also unvaccinated against other recommended vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines
have been shown to be safe for individuals with DS and effective in terms of resulting in minimal
breakthrough infections and milder disease outcomes among fully vaccinated individuals with DS