Vaccines , they are a-coming. Woohoo but which?

[Me2AsWell]

As we see COVID-19 vaccines beginning to roll out I would love some advice from the sages and elders of this forum.

With vaccines, the key issue is effectiveness not safety, I suspect. The big question is: "Will the vaccines be effective for those of us with suppressed/ compromised immune systems? And if so which of the growing array of vaccines is best for us?"

Any insights from those better informed than I would be most welcome!

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

I am an elder but not a sage so let me just say for me it is too early to know and that I suspect there are degrees to which we each will/may be able to have effective immunity from a vaccine. That said, the differences in the vaccines (and there are more coming) will have to be sorted by our Drs. and in relation to our specific circumstances.

I haven't asked my CLL provider what he thinks yet. It is interesting that he and other CLL Drs. have not rushed to have patience vaccinated with Shringx, as the evidence of its use in immune compromised patience has not been shown yet. There are Drs. that have had their patience take that vaccine and we have members who have reported their taking them.

We have had a long time to be patient with living in the pandemic, hopefully our "patience" muscles have been strengthened and we can abide the time it will take to get helpful answers. And, I need to add, hopefully we can stick to the routine actions that will help us to avoid Covid in the meantime.

Philosophical blab over.

[cajunjeff]

I think it will be a long time before we know how effective vaccines are for us or if one vaccine works better than another for certain groups of people. My strategy, unless my doctor advises otherwise, is to take the first non live vaccine that becomes available. I have not seen anything yet to suggest the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines would not be safe for us. My guess is that some of us will get full protection from vaccines, some partial protection and others little protection.

There is a plan B for us. Long lasting monoclonal antibodies are in development which could act as a vaccine substitute for immunocompromised people. No immune response? No problem. Just get an infusion of antibodies.

Two monoclonal antibody treatments have already been approved, more as a therapeutic than as a preventative. Monoclonals are expensive and maybe not practical for everyone. But they will most likely have a place in the covid treatment tree. If they are approved I would take them in a heartbeat, even if I had the vaccine, as a belts and suspenders strategy.