Viruses, Variants, and Vaccines: How COVID-19 Has Changed the Way We Look at Skin

The review discusses the various skin reactions following SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, with over 30 different rashes identified post-infection, including morbilliform or maculopapular rashes, chilblains, and urticaria. Hair loss in the forms of alopecia areata and telogen effluvium has also been recorded. Post-vaccination cutaneous reactions occurred in 9% of larger cohort studies, more frequently with mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. These reactions included delayed large local reactions, local injection site reactions, urticarial eruptions, and morbilliform eruptions. Other reactions include herpes zoster reactivation, pernio/chilblains flare, erythema multiforme, bullous disease, hair loss, and psoriasis flare. The document emphasizes the role of dermatologists in evaluating these manifestations and promoting COVID-19 vaccination. It also highlights the disparities in vaccine distribution, with 19.4% of individuals in low-income countries having received one dose of the vaccine compared to 78.4% in high-income countries as of June 1, 2022.