Almost 1 year into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and after more than 50 million cases and 1.35 million deaths globally, reports of the successful conclusion of phase III trials of two vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA1273, are most welcoming. Results from phase I/II for both these vaccines were highly encouraging with strongly elicited humoral as well as cellular responses, and no trial-limiting safety concerns [1, 2]. According to the preliminary data release, both vaccines have been reported to be almost 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 in their phase II/III trials [3, 4]. Further, the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 has been reported to be lowered by more than 90% after vaccination in both clinical trials [3, 4].

Both of these vaccines are mRNA-based vaccines, BNT162b2 encoding the receptor-binding domain of SARSCOV-2 spike protein and mRNA1273 encoding the S-2P antigen. Both were shown to elicit a strong humoral response by production of neutralizing antibodies, as well as a strong cellular response by inducing functional and pro-inflammatory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and expression of Th1 cytokines [1, 2]. Immunocompromised patients including those with autoimmune disorders or on immunosuppressive medications were excluded from these vaccine trials. This population needs special attention, as infections are among the most common causes of mortality in them, although the data from the COVID-19 rheumatology registry so far has been reassuring and has not revealed an increased risk of COVID-19 complications in immunocompromised patients except those on