Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines Less Effective in Immunocompromised People, But Help Avoid Hospitalization – Breastcancer.org

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines help keep people with weakened immune systems out of the hospital if they are infected, but dont offer as much protection as they do in people with fully functioning immune systems, according to a study.

The results support immunocompromised people receiving three doses of either vaccine, plus a fourth shot as a booster, the researchers said.

The study was published online on Nov. 2, 2021, by Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Read Effectiveness of 2-Dose Vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19Associated Hospitalizations Among Immunocompromised Adults Nine States, JanuarySeptember 2021.

About the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccinesAbout the studyWhat this means for you

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines work by using genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA). The mRNA vaccines contain a small piece of the coronaviruss mRNA, which tells your body to make copies of a protein in the virus called the spike protein. Your immune system then builds up immune cells and special proteins (antibodies) to fight the spike protein. So, if youre ever exposed to the COVID-19 virus, your immune system is ready to recognize the virus and protect you from infection.

Because mRNA is just a small piece of the virus copied in a lab, the vaccine cannot cause COVID-19, and it is considered safe for immunocompromised people. Still, earlier studies suggest these vaccines may offer less protection against COVID-19 in people with weakened immune systems.

In August 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is now marketed as Comirnaty and can be used in people ages 5 and older.

The Moderna vaccine remains authorized for emergency use in people ages 18 and older.

The initial doses of the vaccines are given as two separate injections in the upper arm muscle. The Pfizer vaccine doses are given three weeks apart, and the Moderna doses are given one month apart.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that certain people, including immunocompromised people and people diagnosed with cancer, who were fully vaccinated with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines get a booster shot a third vaccine dose no sooner than 28 days and no later than six months after their second shot.

In October 2021, the CDC said that people with moderately or severely compromised immune systems were eligible for a fourth dose a second booster shot for a total of four shots of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Experts have recommended that most people who have been diagnosed with cancer or have a history of cancer should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Still, you should talk to your doctor about whether getting vaccinated is the right decision for your individual situation.

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Earlier research has suggested that immunocompromised people might not develop the same number of antibodies against COVID-19 as people with fully functioning immune systems after being vaccinated. This means immunocompromised people would have less protection against being infected with COVID-19.

The researchers who did this study wanted to see how effective the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were in keeping immunocompromised people who got infected with COVID-19 out of the hospital.

The researchers looked at information on adults hospitalized for COVID-like illness from 187 hospitals in nine states from Jan. 17, 2021 to Sept. 5, 2021.

The study included information on:

Among the immunocompromised people:

Among the people with fully functioning immune systems:

Overall, the results showed that the vaccines were 77% effective at keeping immunocompromised people from being hospitalized with COVID and 90% effective at keeping people with fully functioning immune systems from being hospitalized with COVID.

This difference was the same no matter the vaccine brand, persons age, or COVID-19 variant.

Specifically in immunocompromised people:

The effectiveness of the vaccines did vary depending on why a person was immunocompromised. Vaccine effectiveness was:

Immunocompromised persons benefit from and should receive COVID-19 vaccines, the researchers wrote. Given that [vaccine effectiveness] is lower compared to immunocompetent patients, immunocompromised persons receiving mRNA vaccines should receive three doses and a booster 6 months after the third dose, consistent with CDC recommendations. In addition to vaccination, immunocompromised persons should implement nonpharmaceutical prevention strategies such as masking to help prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, and, if infected with SARS-CoV-2, be monitored closely and considered early for proven therapies that might prevent progression to severe illness.

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If youve been diagnosed with breast cancer and are wondering how well the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines may work for you, this study offers important results.

While the vaccines were not 100% effective, its very encouraging to know that they were more than 75% effective at keeping immunocompromised people from being hospitalized with COVID.

The results also strongly suggest that getting a second booster shot a fourth dose of any COVID-19 vaccine may be a good idea if youve been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Current recommendations say that immunocompromised people ages 18 and older should receive:

Still, each persons health situation is unique. So it makes sense to talk to your doctor about whether a COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots are right for you.

Read more about COVID-19 Vaccine Facts for People With Breast Cancer.

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Written by: Jamie DePolo, senior editor

Published on November 9, 2021 at 1:23 PM

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Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines Less Effective in Immunocompromised People, But Help Avoid Hospitalization - Breastcancer.org