On the International Day of Immunology, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology would like to highlight three important topics revolving around current immunology research: vaccination, COVID-19 and food allergy.
The EAACI Immunology Section and the EAACI Public Outreach Task Force together with a large group of EAACI experts have developed three short cartoon videos, summarizing evidence-based knowledge for a general audience.
In addition, on this special day we invited experts to answer some of the most burning questions on these topics:
*Click on the timestamps in the video description to jump to the three sections below:
Vaccination
Wojciech Feleszko, Medical University of Warsaw; and Thomas Eiwegger Hospital for SickChildren, University of Toronto & University Hospital St. Pölten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, are discussing the following topics:
How successful are vaccinations to prevent infectious diseases?
What do you have to consider when vaccinating allergic children? Are there any limitations or safety recommendations?
What is important to consider for the vaccinations against COVID-19 in patients with allergic diseases?
Why are people hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
Watch the cartoon on vaccination here
COVID-19
Mohamed Shamji, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute; Anna Sediva, Motol University Hospital, Prague; Milena Sokolowska, SIAF, UZH Davos; Berber Vlieg-Boerstra, OLGV Hospital, Amsterdam; and Oliver Pfaar, University Hospital Marburg are discussing the following topics:
Does the immune response to SARS-COV-2 and the course of COVID-19 vary among individuals? Why is this different in children?
Should the course of biologicals be amended for asthmatic or allergic patients with COVID-19?
What are the recommendations for allergen immunotherapy during COVID-19?
Can nutrient supplements protect us from viral diseases such as COVID-19?
Watch the cartoon on COVID-19 here
Food Allergy
Eva Untersmayr- Elsenhuber, IPA, MedUni Wien; Alexandra F. Santos, King’s College London & Guy’s and St. Thomas Hospital; Liam O’Mahony, University College of Cork; and Cezmi Akdis, SIAF, UZH, Davos, are discussing the following topics:
Food allergy is increasing worldwide and strongly affects patients’ quality of life. How is food allergy diagnosed? What is the best management?
What is the microbiome, and what is its role in food allergy?
What is the role of the intestinal barrier in food allergy?
How is the epithelial barrier affected by environmental factors?
Watch the cartoon video on food allergy here
For further information, please finda a few recent EAACI position papers and statements on these topics.
Immunology of COVID‐19: Mechanisms, clinical outcome, diagnostics, and perspectives—A report of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.14462
ARIA‐EAACI statement on severe allergic reactions to COVID‐19 vaccines – an EAACI‐ARIA position paper https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.14726
COVID‐19 pandemic and allergen immunotherapy – an EAACI survey https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.14793
EAACI statement on the diagnosis, management and prevention of severe allergic reactions to COVID‐19 vaccines https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.14739
Managing childhood allergies and immunodeficiencies during respiratory virus epidemics – The 2020 COVID‐19 pandemic: A statement from the EAACI‐section on pediatrics https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pai.13262
Considerations on biologicals for patients with allergic disease in times of the COVID‐19 pandemic: An EAACI statement https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.14407
We encourage you to watch the EAACI Day of Immunology initiative and to share this information among your networks!