Delay in Second Jab A Problem for Cancer Patients

[MilesJuppIsMyBitch]

Cancer patients 'lack same protection' after first jab www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56351084

Anyone else seen this?

I'm feeling very low, & was hoping a friendly medic might be around for a handhold.

I have NH Lymphoma, & had the AZ vaccine about four weeks ago. Not due my second until the end of April.

Have you seen this @iVampire?

I saw this on bbc news....I would keep yourself out of harms ways until after the 2nd vaccine at least.....there’s not loads of evidence yet....but best to protect yourself

Thanks for replying @Kitkat151

I was really hoping to send my kids back to school after Easter, but that now seems unwise.

I'm absolutely gutted.

Gosh, that is a bit concerning.

On the one hand for any healthy individuals, it’s good news. 97% response after one dose & 100% after 12 weeks. The difference there is negligible and shows the one dose strategy is the right one for the majority.

However, it’s obviously so much more complex for those having chemotherapy which wiped out your immune system. I hope this is urgently reviewed for cancer patients and the decision made to fast track the second vaccines.

Worth noting this study is Pfizer, which is a brand new vaccine where your body has to respond differently things to the AZ. While also new, is based more on traditional vaccines using inactivated virus. I wonder if that has any impact..

For you personally I don't think this study (which it notes anyway is small and not yet peer reviewed) tells you much, since you had AZ - which wasn't what the study was about, and also the manufacturers actually recommend a 12 week gap, unlike Pfizer. I think you need to talk to your medical team about things like when the children can go back to school - and I really appreciate what a hard decision that must be for you - but I don't think this study will change anything for you, you're still working on the same information as before.

Thanks @Hardbackwriter

That has grounded me a bit.

It was such a blow reading this this morning!

This isn't a suprise to me after my mum who has myeloma had covid 2 weeks after her first Pfizer back in early January.

Maybe they could make an exception for cancer patients and do the 3 week gap advised by Pfizer.

Now that they know, I think there is hope that the second dose will be re-scheduled and be sooner. I think most people would agree to have a short delay in their first dose in order to give priority to a second dose for cancer patients.

@CeeJay81

This isn't a suprise to me after my mum who has myeloma had covid 2 weeks after her first Pfizer back in early January.

Maybe they could make an exception for cancer patients and do the 3 week gap advised by Pfizer.

So sorry to hear that. How is she now?

@Worknoplay

Now that they know, I think there is hope that the second dose will be re-scheduled and be sooner. I think most people would agree to have a short delay in their first dose in order to give priority to a second dose for cancer patients.

Oh, I hope so. Although I think I'd better avoid the 'discussion' threads for a while, for my own sanity.

Hi @MilesJuppIsMyBitch

Yes this popped up at me this morning and it’s thoroughly depressing. My sixth form DD is back at school, and if I let myself think about it, I’d be very worried indeed

And I am furious that the one group struck off the JCVI list between November and December is the immediate households of the CEV. This was meant to be pending further evidence on whether the jabs prevent transmission - but even though the likes of JVT have said in public that we now know it’s inconceivable there is not a good effect, still not reinstated

Rant over - how are you getting on? I continue stable (what a lovely word!)

Morning iVampire. Not a Good morning, though

I'm ok from a health perspective, thanks, although my LDH has risen a bit.

Tbh, I didn't even know immediate family of CEV were being considered for vaccination priority. I just assumed they wouldn't be, given that the official narrative so far has been Hide In Your Room and Stay Away From Your Children.

I know this word is bandied around a lot, but I feel genuinely devastated.

If my children were vaccinated, they could go back to school, even if I had to keep shielding. As it is, it's a lottery every time we leave the house.

I feel for you both.

As a CEV patient (transplant) we've been having similar questions as as part of a trial 4 weeks after 1st jab many transplant patients have not built any antibodies which has caused great concern for us all. I think this study shows anyone with a compromised immune system could be at risk due to delayed doses. I've written to my MP and asked for it to be urgently raised, I think if you feel up to it it may be worth raising it with your MPs as well to ensure all voices are heard

What we need is:

a) vaccination of household members ASAP (reinstate as priority 6, and all over 16s can be done straight away)

b) testing of all those living with cancer to see if the intended immune response has occurred

The figures of only 8-13% of those with blood cancers showing response in 3-5 weeks post vaccination is way lower than any other category. And is deeply unsettling

I’m not surprised you’re feeling bad about it, so am I!

Doesn’t help that those with blood cancers are the second largest group who end up in ICU (possibly because we can become very ill indeed, but the rest of our body can be perfectly normal and strong, so worth treating - I’m much fitter than I was a decade ago, aside from the leukaemia, that is) but despite that we have the poorest outcomes of all cancer patients who get a case severe enough to require hospitalisation

Blood Cancer UK has been quite active in trying to get a better deal for us - especially on vaccinating immediate household. I hope this will give that extra oomph to secure that re-instatement into priority 6

 for you, @Thatsveryniceofyou. I keep seeing the idea bandied around that the CEV are all protected now, and it's clearly not true.

And wholeheartedly agree with your points @iVampire , although my children are both under sixteen, so it still wouldn't help that much.

Just feeling despair today.

I think it's because I was starting to feel a glimmer of hope, and it's been rather dashed.

Please please remember that this is just Pfizer so far. We don’t know about AZ so far, so if you’ve had that we can’t yet draw the same conclusions. I’m sure AZ studies are underway 🙏🏼

Thanks @HolmeH , and I didn't mean to ignore you upthread. I misread and thought that Hardbackwriter had written both posts!

I know they've started trials looking at effectiveness in cancer patients, but - as far as I'm aware - they won't have results for months.

My children have been at home for a year this week. And I've had to fight for that to happen.

This just feels like a very black day.

I thought this was a preliminary small study results of which to be validated?

I'm not sure which study this was from, as a transplant patient we're part of an Octave study through imperial college but have sites over the UK. The initial transplant results are from this, and includes both jabs. official results will be months away. But I don't know if we can wait weeks for results. So far, over half of transplant patients have no antibodies 4 weeks post. I think that's what is scary, our children are being forced back into schools and we don't know still if we have adequate protection from them.

@iVampire I agree other adults in household should be vaccinated sooner rather than later to offer additional protection

@MilesJuppIsMyBitch she got though Covid. It did one on her but she recovered. The cancer unfortunately is progressing though.

@HolmeH

Please please remember that this is just Pfizer so far. We don’t know about AZ so far, so if you’ve had that we can’t yet draw the same conclusions. I’m sure AZ studies are underway 🙏🏼

I finished my cancer treatment ten months ago but have auto immune disease. I had the AZ vaccine and five weeks later have no detectable antibodies. I know this because I'm part of a different study which is looking at how long antibodies last after either having covid or vaccine.

Hi @MilesJuppIsMyBitch

I’ve been thinking of you in the last little while, as the announcement came through about household of CEV being restored to priority 6. I’m still going through the admin swamp with my GP (as DD I’d under 18 so has to be booked for Pfizer, and no-one seems to know how to do this! I have a phone call with an actual doctor booked for this week, and that will hopefully cut the Gordian knot!)

And I might have to go through it again at start of summer vac when DS will come home from university town and be here for long enough to make it worth doing him too

But I know yours are younger, and this won’t make any difference to your circs. Just wanted you to know that your plight is not forgotten

@iVampire thank you so much for posting: it means a lot

I've decided to send mine back while rates are low, but I am bricking it a bit!

I'm so glad your DD can (eventually) be vaccinated: it'll be such a relief.

I could just really do with some of the uncertainty being over, but I did realise over Easter that things are SO much better than they were this time last year. Onwards!