Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in patients taking immunosuppressants (2024)

FAQs

Is the COVID vaccine effective in immunosuppressed patients? ›

In larger population studies conducted earlier in the pandemic, vaccinated immunocompromised people were about 70-90% less likely to become ill from COVID-19 than unvaccinated people. This compares to approximately 84-94% in people without immunocompromise.

Immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished immune response to COVID-19 vaccine.

Authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are not live-virus vaccines and can be safely administered to patients who are immunocompromised. However, in people who are immunocompromised, the immune response to vaccination may be blunted, and the timing of vaccination requires special consideration.

COVID-19 Vaccines for People Who Are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised. CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.

MMR -containing vaccines are contraindicated in people who are significantly immunocompromised as a result of a medical condition. MMR -containing vaccines are contraindicated in people receiving high-dose systemic immunosuppressive therapy, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or oral corticosteroids.

Vaccination with the MMR vaccine is contraindicated in immunocompromised patients, in whom serious complications such as pneumonitis and measles inclusion-body encephalitis have been observed. The MMR vaccine also should not be given during pregnancy.

Studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccines have reduced immunogenicity in immunosuppressed individuals compared with immunocompetent individuals. 5–8 In the limited epidemiological research thus far, the approved vaccines appear to be less effective in immunosuppressed individuals relative to the general population.

People who are immunosuppressed or immunocompromised have a higher risk of getting sick from a COVID infection and experiencing severe effects. It's an individual decision to pause or reduce your immunosuppressive treatment as it pertains to COVID, but talk with a healthcare provider before making that decision.

People who are moderately and severely immunocompromised are more likely to become severely ill with COVID-19. They may not be protected even if they are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and may need to take additional precautions to stay safe.

You can become immunocompromised in one of these two ways: Immunosuppression is when your immune system is weakened with medications, like after an organ transplant. Immunodeficiency is when your body can't make enough of certain blood cells to defend itself against infection.

Which of the immunizations would carry the greatest risk for immunocompromised? ›

So-called “live” vaccines carry the biggest risk for people who are immunocompromised.

In addition, patients who are immunocompromised are also suspected of having a longer duration of shedding of potentially infectious viral particles, with current recommendations suggesting prolonged isolation up to 20 days among such individuals.

People who are immunosuppressed have a reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases. This may be caused by certain diseases or conditions, such as AIDS, cancer, diabetes, malnutrition, and certain genetic disorders.

Vaccination is particularly important for those who are immunocompromised, due to the increased risk of developing severe disease (which can lead to hospitalisation, intensive care admission or death) if exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases.

Many who are immunocompromised often have a diminished immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, and therefore remain at higher risk for severe COVID-19, hospitalisation and death than the general population.

For most hospitalized patients with severe or critical COVID-19 who are immunocompromised, the Panel recommends using antiviral drugs and immunomodulatory therapies at the doses and durations recommended for the general population (AIII).

Children ages 5–11 years who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may receive 1 additional dose of updated (2023–2024 Formula) Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, 0.25mL/25 ug (dark blue cap; green label) or updated (2023–2024 Formula) Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, 0.3 mL/10 ug (blue cap; blue label) at least 2 ...

The other is host-related, of which host genetics, immune status, age, health or nutritional status can be associated with primary or secondary vaccine failures. The first describes the inability to respond to primary vaccination, the latter is characterized by a loss of protection after initial effectiveness.