ABC News discusses the protection against COVID-19 for people who are immunosuppressed and immunocompromised, and may be unable to produce antibodies after being fully vaccinated, including commentary from Robert F. Spiera, MD, rheumatologist and Director of the Vasculitis and Scleroderma Program at HSS.

Dr. Spiera said, “This has been very painful for us to go through with our patients, many of whom were waiting with bated breath to get their vaccine so they could have their child go back to school or so that they could hug their grandchildren, and then getting this news that you didn’t have antibodies was devastating for them.”

Dr. Spiera underscored the importance of ongoing research and large studies that will look at the rate of COVID-19 infections among people with autoimmune diseases who have been vaccinated.

Watch the full segment at Abcnews.go.com.