Immunocompromised? Why the COVID-19 vaccine might still protect you

[2greys]

COVID-19 vaccinations may not offer as much protection to people with compromised immune systems, but just how much appears to be driven by the type of underlying condition, new research suggests.

"People with conditions that compromise their immune systems exhibit a wide spectrum of antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccination, ranging from only 1 in 5 lung transplant patients having an antibody response to a response nearly identical to that of healthy individuals in patients with well-controlled HIV," said study author Dr. Ghady Haidar, a transplant infectious diseases physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"This highlights the urgent need to optimize and individualize COVID-19 prevention in patients with immuno-compromising conditions and have other treatments -- such as monoclonal antibodies -- available should vaccination fail," he said.

To see how well, or even if, the COVID-19 vaccine worked in people with weakened immune systems, researchers compared levels of COVID-fighting antibodies in the blood of 107 healthy health care workers to those of 489 people with compromised immune systems due to a variety of causes. The study included folks who had solid organ transplants, autoimmune disorders, blood cancers, solid tumors and HIV.

consumer.healthday.com/7-7-...

[Mel9666]

The UK based Octave study should answer our questions when it’s completed. “Study to assess COVID-19 vaccine responses in immunosuppressed patients”. It involves up to 5000 volunteers.

b-s-h.org.uk/about-us/news/...

[Tugun]

Thank you so much for the info 2greys.

[Elvisajc]

I was on transplant list at Mayo for 8 years but remained too functional to qualify although stats made me eligible. Because of resistance to most antibiotics and numerous allergies; I removed my self from list…with support of Drs.