Severe mental illness and European COVID-19 vaccination strategies

This paper systematically reviewed national COVID-19 vaccine deployment plans across 20 European countries. Multiple high-quality studies have shown odds ratios for comorbid severe mental illness, and schizophrenia in particular, to equal or even surpass those of other risk comorbidities included for prioritization. Evidence-based policy would then require severe mental illness to be included in the list of risk comorbidities. Yet several sources of bias may have caused the risks associated with severe mental illness to be overlooked by most countries. Mental disorders are often not included as predictors in COVID-19 outcome studies. Studies specifically investigating the risks of psychiatric comorbidity have not yet been summarized in systematic reviews or meta-analyses and were therefore ignored by some national strategies and mathematical models. In summary, European countries' vaccination strategies try to balance ethical and scientific evidence, but for individuals with severe mental illness an evidence policy disconnect remains. Most of these patients are treated in the community, and are currently overlooked by the majority of European COVID-19 vaccination strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)