What Should Blood Cancer Patients Do After They Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

“Some patients with blood cancers, specifically CLL, were less likely to develop antibodies to the COVID spike protein. And perhaps that means that those patients may be less protected by the vaccine,” explains Dr. Thomas Martin, a hematologist-oncologist at the University of California San Francisco. “This is not news that is unexpected news at this point in time. What we anticipated is that patients with blood cancers, especially those getting therapy would have a lower ability to produce antibodies or to respond to the vaccine compared to normal patients.”

Related: One-Third of People Battling Blood Cancer Unlikely to Get COVID-19 Vaccine; Here's Why and What It Means

Because of this, Dr. Martin recommends blood cancer patients follow these post-vaccine precautions:

• Vaccinated patients undergoing therapy should still avoid large crowds
• Masks and social distancing are also still needed when in public
• Double mask during plane travel and avoid flights longer than six hours

Avoid Socializing

Dr. Martin offers some critical advice to those battling blood cancer during the pandemic. “I would also say that at the current time, whether you’ve been vaccinated or not, we are sheltering in place. So if you’re a vaccinated patient that is receiving blood cancer therapy, unfortunately at this point in time, we don’t think it’s a good thing for you to be out at restaurants or socializing with a lot of people,” says Dr. Martin.

Practice COVID-19 Safety

It’s important to follow the CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines, even after you’ve been vaccinated. “You still have to protect yourself,” says Dr. Martin. “You still have to wear the mask. You still have to social distance, just be, just be smart about the interactions that you have.”

Mask-Up for Travel

Despite the decreased rate of infection in the U.S., Dr. Martin points out there are areas of the world currently experiencing their fourth wave of the coronavirus. Some less-resourced countries have a low vaccine rate or no vaccine at all.

Related: Cancer Patients Urged to Get Second COVID Vaccine Shot Sooner After New Research Shows Less Protection

“So, I tell my patients, there is, at this point in time, there is no international travel,” says Dr. Martin. “If you want to do national travel, if you can do it safely, if you can drive, drive, go to places that you know, that you can control your environment. I’m a little bit hesitant about plane flights, et cetera.”

Dr. Martin says if you have to fly, be sure to mask-up. “Double mask protect yourself, clean the area around you. We all need to still practice social distancing. Just be smart about our environment.”

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