Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell died Monday, October 18, 2021 at the age of 84 from complications related to COVID-19. General Powell was fully vaccinated, but he was being treated for cancer when he contracted the virus. CNN reported.
“Former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin L. Powell, passed away this morning from complications from COVID-19. He was fully vaccinated,” his family said in a statement. I am writing in Facebook“We thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their compassionate care. We have lost a wonderful and loving husband, father, grandfather, and a great American.”
The family did not provide details about the type of complications Powell experienced, but he was being treated for multiple myeloma, which had compromised his immune system. new york times reportMultiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. These cells play an important role in the immune system by helping make antibodies that protect against bacteria and viruses. Mayo Clinic saysHowever, in patients with multiple myeloma, cancer cells accumulate in the body’s bone marrow, making it difficult for healthy plasma cells to function. Treatment for multiple myeloma may include chemotherapy, which can also negatively affect the immune system and make the patient more susceptible to infections such as her COVID-19.
Vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, also rely on these antibodies to create long-lasting immune responses that help protect against certain diseases. It suggests that people who are immunocompromised due to disease or chemotherapy are not as protected from the COVID-19 vaccine as those who are not immunocompromised. It may protect people even more.
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