Spring Covid-19 vaccination for cancer patients

It is really important for people living with cancer to get their Covid-19 vaccination this spring. Dr Oge Ilozue, GP Partner and Clinical Advisor, Vaccination Programme London region, answers questions and shares trusted information about the Spring COVID-19 vaccination and explains why it is so important for people with cancer to get vaccinated this spring.

Why should people with cancer have a COVID-19 vaccination this spring?

People with cancers that affects their immune system, such as leukaemia or lymphoma, are at a higher risk of serious illness and hospitalisation from COVID-19, because cancer and its treatment weaken the immune system, meaning people are less able to fight infections.

There is evidence that repeated doses of the vaccination can offer better protection for people who are immunosuppressed. This is why people who are immunosuppressed are specifically invited to have booster vaccines.

A study found that people with cancer were more likely to catch COVID-19 and were also more likely to need to go into hospital for treatment or sadly die from COVID-19.

Research led by Imperial College London showed that COVID still poses a substantial risk to people who have a weakened immune system, including those having cancer treatment. It also showed that the majority of immunosuppressed people produced antibodies after having COVID-19 vaccines and that those who had had more doses of vaccine were more likely to have antibodies.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect against serious illness and increase your antibodies.

Will the vaccine affect cancer treatment?

According to Cancer Research UK, there is no need for cancer treatment to be delayed because of COVID-19 vaccination. When someone can have the vaccine will depend on the type of treatment and where they are in their treatment plan. They advise to talk to their doctor or specialist nurse for specific advice for their circumstances.

If they are due to start cancer treatment or have cancer surgery, their medical team may recommend that they have vaccinations before treatment begins. Having vaccinations before treatment gives a better chance of protection.

NHS COVID-19 vaccines are not live vaccines so they cannot cause harm when immunity is reduced.

Can the vaccine give me the virus?

No. The COVID-19 vaccine used by the NHS is ‘inactivated’, meaning it does not contain any of the live virus, so you ‘cannot catch the illness’ from having the vaccine. But what it does do is give you just enough to trigger your body's own immune response or defence mechanism to produce antibodies to the vaccine.

But the vaccine may take two weeks to be effective, so if you catch COVID-19 in that timeframe you may become ill. That is why we encourage people to have their vaccinations as soon as they can.

What about the side effects?

You might experience flu-like symptoms as a vaccinations side effect. But these are usually mild and show that your body is producing antibodies to protect itself.

More serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

There have been rare cases of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) reported after COVID-19 vaccination. Most people who had this recovered following rest and simple treatments.

“Millions of people around the world have now received their COVID-19 vaccines which continue to show a strong safety profile with the health benefits greatly outweighing any risks.”

How do I know these vaccines are safe?

These vaccines have been rigorously tested, are constantly monitored and we know that the benefits of having the vaccinations far outweigh any risk.

Unprecedented scientific collaborations allowed COVID-19 vaccine research, development, trials, testing and authorisations to be completed in record time to meet the need and it is still monitored.

Evidence continues to show that COVID 19 vaccines are safe and effective for people with cancer. They are also highly important, as people with cancer are at higher risk of severe illness and death from the virus, and the vaccines have been proven to drastically reduce this risk. (Source: bloodcancer.org.uk)

But it’s completely understandable that people may have some concerns about whether it is safe or right for them to receive the vaccines.

“If you do have questions or concerns, I encourage you to speak to a trusted healthcare professional. This can be your GP, practice nurse, pharmacist, health visitor or consultant, all of whom can provide evidence-based information.”

Book online at nhs.uk/bookcovid or call 119 free of charge.