Sarah Hyland Just Shared a Seriously Exciting Health Update

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Modern Family star Sarah Hyland shared some huge news with fans on Wednesday. And while it's not that she's officially (finally) married to beau Wells Adams, it's equally as — if not more — exciting: Hyland got her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this week.

The 30-year-old actress, who's had two kidney transplants and multiple surgeries related to her kidney dysplasia, seems thrilled about reaching the milestone — on St. Patrick's Day, no less. (Fun fact: Hyland is in fact Irish, according to 2018 tweet.)

"The luck of the Irish prevailed and HALLELUJAH! I AM FINALLY VACCINATED!!!!!" she captioned a photo and video of herself rocking a red mask (Buy It, $18 for 10, amazon.com) and showing off her post-poke bandage. "As a person with comorbidities and on immunosuppressants for life, I am so grateful to receive this vaccine."

Hyland continued in the caption, saying she's "still remaining safe and following CDC guidelines," but hinted that she may feel comfortable visiting public places more down the road. "Once I receive my second dose? I will feel safe enough to go out every once in a while... GROCERY STORE HERE I COME!" she wrote. (Related: How Effective Is the COVID-19 Vaccine?)

The comments section of Hyland's post was seemingly instantly flooded with congratulations. In between the clapping hands emojis and red hearts, some people with a health history similar to Hyland's asked questions. "I also had a kidney transplant three years ago and I'm too scared to take the vaccine. Is it safe?" one wrote. Hyland's response: "My transplant team told me to get it! They 100% recommend us transplant recipients get vaccinated."

Being a transplant recipient classifies Hyland as having a comorbidity for severe COVID-19. In case you're unfamiliar, a comorbidity means that someone has more than one disease or chronic condition at the same time, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has a long list of potential comorbidities for COVID-19, including have a weakened immune system or being immunocompromised "from a solid organ transplant." Sarah said that she takes immunosuppressants, aka medications that lower her body's ability to reject her transplanted kidney, which would also qualify her as having a comorbidity. (Related: Here's Everything You Need to Know About Coronavirus and Immune Deficiencies)

Adults of any age with comorbidities for COVID-19 at an increased risk for severe illness from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the CDC. That puts them at a higher-than-normal risk for hospitalization, admission to the ICU, intubation or mechanical ventilation, or even death. Basically, if you have a comorbidity for COVID-19, the vaccine can help protect you from all those potential — and super serious — complications.

In general, the CDC recommends that people with kidney transplants (or any organ transplant) get vaccinated against COVID-19. But if that describes you, it's still crucial to talk to your doctor who knows your medical history best and can guide you accordingly.

This isn't the first time Hyland has spoken openly about her health, or specifically about her kidney dysplasia, a condition where the internal structures of one or both of a fetus' kidneys do not develop normally while in the womb. With kidney dysplasia, urine that would normally flow through tubules in the kidneys has nowhere to go, thereby collecting and forming fluid-filled sacs called cysts, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The cysts then replace normal kidney tissue and prevent the organ from functioning. Because of this, Hyland required a kidney transplant in 2012 and then again in 2017 after her body rejected the first transplanted organ. (Related: Sarah Hyland Revealed She Lost Her Hair As a Result of Kidney Dysplasia and Endometriosis)

In 2019, Hyland revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she experienced suicidal thoughts due to the pain and frustration of her condition, saying that it's "really, really hard" to live through years "of just always being sick and being in chronic pain every single day, and you don't know when you're going to have the next good day." She shared that she would "write letters in my head to loved ones of why I did it, my reasoning behind it, how it was nobody's fault because I didn't want to write it down on paper because I didn't want anybody to find it because that's how serious I was."

Since this candid revelation, Hyland has continued to be open and vulnerable with her fans (including her 8 million followers) about her struggles with mental and physical health. Her goal? To remind fellow sufferers that they're not alone and to hopefully encourage "those that are lucky enough not to experience [chronic conditions]" to "appreciate their health," according to a 2018 Instagram caption.

But right now, Hyland is just celebrating science, the privilege to get the coronavirus vaccine, and essential workers, ending her post on this touching note: "Thank you to the amazing Drs, nurses, and volunteers working every day to help save people's lives."