Are CLL patients are kept in priority for COVID vaccination?

[Sagarcanada]

My wife is living with CLL and she is 50 years old now and she is under w & w condition. We live in Ontario, Canada. She has to go to Asia in May 2021 for a month. So far my knowledge is a concern, I do not know about the special privileges for vaccination to CLL people in Canada. I heard the government has put a priority on CLL people for COVID vaccination due to their immune systems. I am wondering is there any plan in Canada to vaccinate CLL people earlier than normal people?

[Vizilo]

Unfortunately, the priority right now is by age first, at least in Ontario. Currently, you can sign up and receive Moderna/Pfizer vaccines vaccines if you are 75 or over and also the AstraZeneca at pharmacies in the Greater Toronto Area if you are over 60. They expect to vaccinate the immune compromised (including cll patients) as more vaccines become available and likely within the next 4 weeks.

I, like you-another Ontario resident, am a bit frustrated (and with cll and 20+ years older) by the delay with vaccinating the immune compromised but understand the province’s efforts to vaccinate older residents given the disastrous COVID history in old age homes.

I think your wife will likely have a vaccine before her May trip but I am not sure how effective the first of two shots will be so soon after vaccination and more importantly it’s still not clear how effective these vaccines will be for the immune compromised. Travelling so soon after seems very risky, at least for me. So, masking, social distancing and group avoidance unfortunately will be an ongoing task for our more vulnerable group

[Sagarcanada in reply to Vizilo]

Vizilo Thank you very much for your response. Canada categorizing the population for vaccination as per the age, not on the basis of immune-compromised for the CLL patients. At least we both live in Canada so we will exchange our experience.

[Rosiehiker]

Hello,I am in Ontario as well. We are in the medical grouping but my understanding from my Dr is that we are in the third category with all cancers. The highest risk category with Haematological malignancy has to be diagnosed within the last year.The public health units are all working at different speeds so you need to look up your local one to see when to pre-register. Mine is only at 70 to 79 years of age.

[Sagarcanada in reply to Rosiehiker]

Hello Rosiehiker, Thank you very much for your response. Nice that I could be connected with you as we both live in Ontario. Are you still in W & W condition? Wishing all the best in your CLL journey.

[Rosiehiker in reply to Sagarcanada]

Yes it is nice to connect with another Ontarioan! Yes I am still in W&W