Dr. John Byrd: Monitoring Vaccination Effectiveness for Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection & COVID-19 Syndrome in CLL

[bkoffman]

CLL Society's new Opinion Page: Dr. John Byrd on Monitoring Vaccination Effectiveness for Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Syndrome in CLL: A Data-Poor, but Opinion-Rich Discussion! The data are scant but what there are tells us that the COVID-19 vaccine will not predictably protect us. Dr. Byrd offers his opinions on what do, including testing post vaccine for antibody levels. cllsociety.org/2021/05/moni...

[bachplayer13]

thank you for this brian. i thought that dr byrd was changing to focus on aml when he goes to u of Cincinnati, contrary to what he states in this piece.....

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero in reply to bachplayer13]

His practice and research will continue to be primarily CLL.

[jijic]

This is fantastic, thanks! I've noticed that there's not much being said about those of us who are completing or have completed treatment successfully. Is there reason to believe that our vaccine response would be lesser? My specialist doesn't think so, but he's also not doing antibody testing.

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero in reply to jijic]

Israeli data suggests that those post treatment in remission have surprisingly good response rates, near 80%

[jijic in reply to bkoffman]

Great news, thank you! I'm a month away from finishing Venetoclax and my numbers are all in normal range

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero in reply to jijic]

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing your good news.

[MGirl-Aust]

Thanks very much for this Brian, it’s very helpful to hear someone like Dr Byrd acknowledging the uncertainty but providing his opinion. No doubt the situation will become clearer as time goes on, and hopefully in a year or two we will have a lot more answers.

Michelle

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Very clear, helpful article - well worth reading. I like Dr Byrd's way of writing - very knowledgeable but honest about all the unknowns.

Thanks Brian,

Paula

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero in reply to PaulaS]

Thanks