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Experts warn against taking COVID-19 and HPV vaccines at the same time
Updated 21:25, 22-Dec-2020
By Liu Wei
People who are taking HPV vaccines should take COVID-19 vaccines at a separate time before national guidance is announced. /CFP

People who are taking HPV vaccines should take COVID-19 vaccines at a separate time before national guidance is announced. /CFP

Experts from China's National Health Commission warned against taking experimental COVID-19 vaccines during the two- or three-dose schedule of HPV vaccine shots, during a press conference on Monday.

The general rules about inactivated vaccines being able to be injected with other vaccines don't apply to COVID-19 vaccines for now, as there's been little research on the effect it may have with other vaccines, said Wang Huaqing, chief expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control's immunization program.

It's suggested that those taking HPV vaccines take COVID-19 vaccines at a separate time before national guidance plans are announced, Wang said. "We need to consider if the two vaccines will influence each other's immune effect as well as if it's safe to take both simultaneously."

Groups including pregnant women and people who are allergic to the components from the vaccine are also not allowed to take the vaccine, he added. People who have a fever or other acute disease can take the vaccines when they fully recover. All the vaccinated will be observed for 30 minutes after their shots in case people show any allergic reactions. 

China approved the emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine in June for high-risk groups including cold-chain workers, border control personnel as well as frontline medics and people who are about to go overseas. Over one million doses have been used and yet no severe adverse effects have been reported.

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