The COVID-19 vaccine is helping tens of millions of people, but it does not always offer protection to people with cancer. Stat News reports that people with cancer do not always generate sufficient antibodies to protect them from contracting COVID that other people generate from the vaccine. An antibody test won’t always reveal whether the vaccine offers protection.
People with cancer have immune systems that are not able to produce as many antibodies after receiving a vaccine that a vaccine delivers to people with uncompromised immune systems. The situation is much the same for people who have had organ transplants and people with some autoimmune diseases.
So, people who are immunocompromised and get antibody tests might not know whether they are protected from COVID. It is still unclear what level of antibodies is needed for protection of people who are immunocompromised. Cellular immunity might help protect them. So might booster shots and monoclonal antibody infusions.
For now, people who are immunocompromised should always wear a mask, even if they have been vaccinated. They should maintain a six foot social distance, as should the people who are in their company. Antibody tests should not be relied upon to determine whether they are protected from contracting COVID. More data should be available in the next several months.
Studies are underway to determine how best to protect people whose systems are immunocompromised and how to gauge whether a vaccine is effective.
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