How many covid vaccines should you have if you are immunocompromised?
People who are immunocompromised need three doses instead of two to develop good protection from Covid infection. It is now strongly recommended they also have a booster dose 3 months after their third vaccine
Why do people who are immunocompromised need extra doses?
The covid vaccine triggers your immune system to make antibodies against the Covid virus. If you are immunocompromised, your immune system may not make antibodies as effectively to fight the virus. This means if you are immunocompromised, you are at higher risk of more severe illness and being more infectious and for longer
Fortunately, the vaccine seems to work better with three doses and then a booster dose 3 months after the third dose. In a group of patients who were very immunocompromised (taking drugs to block their immune system after an organ transplant) only 4% showed an immune response after one dose of the vaccine, but this increased to 40% after two doses and 68% after three doses. This shows just how important extra dosing for people who are immunocompromised can be.
What conditions and medications cause immunocompromise?
Although AATAGI (panel of experts) has given us a list of conditions, it is sometimes hard to know. Some conditions may not be on the list and some medications are not a problem at low doses. In many cases we will need to make a clinical decision or you may want to check with your specialist.
Below is a list of patients who should call us to check if they are considered immunocompromised
- IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS
- Patients who have or have had in the last 2 years
- Leukaemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
- Myeloproliferative disorders
- Immunodeficiency syndromes
- HIV positive patients
- Patients with inflammatory conditions like Rheumatoid of psoriatic arthritis, who are taking medications like
- mycophenolate
- azathioprine
- Methotrexate,
- leflunomide
- cyclophosphamide,
- chlorambucil
- cyclosporin
- tacrolimus,
- abatacept,
- Prednisone (cortisone)
- Patients with multiple sclerosis on treatments like fingolimod and alemtuzumab
- Patients who have hadBone marrow transplants
- Organ transplants
- Patients with cancer who are havingChemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Patients on long term haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
When should you have a booster dose if you are immunocompromised?
Experts recommend that you have a booster dose three months after your third Covid vaccine if you are immunocompromised.
How safe is a booster dose?
Booster doses seem to be safe and effective. The risk of not having a booster vaccine and not having enough immunity to fight Covid is a far greater risk than the risk of having a booster
Will I be given an AstraZeneca or a Pfizer as my booster?
Pfizer is recommended for the booster dose even if you had AstraZeneca for your first three doses unless there is a reason to use the AstraZeneca.
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