Greetings!
COVID-19 update
As we conclude this second month of 2021, we all need to live to see the day when those vaccines become available and we can enjoy our freedoms again. With each state rolling out the vaccines differently, both in distribution priority and process, more and more of us are being invited to get their vaccination shots.
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION:
What about the J&J vaccine?
Is it a 'live virus' that we should avoid?
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Based on our asking that question to a cross-section of infectious disease and transplant medical experts we offer:
The J&J vaccine and the transplant community
The J&J vaccine has just received final approval and may be available in quantity starting as early as the 1st week of March. The formulation of this vaccine has raised questions for the transplant community. In reaching out to both infectious disease and transplant medical experts, we find conflicting advice, but offer the following results from that outreach to guide your personal decisions.
Some have expressed concern that the J&J vaccine has been described as having a weakened non-Covid virus element which, since this is different than prior ‘live virus’ vaccines most infectious disease medical experts who specialize in transplant issues we contacted feel strongly that the J&J vaccine is not a ‘live vaccine’ and is not an issue for transplant recipients if offered the J&J vaccine.
Since the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines clearly don’t incorporate any weakened live version of a virus to activate the immune system, there is no issue with them. This means the transplant community needs to ask about receiving the J&J vaccine from their own team in light of the long-standing medical recommendations that recipients not take any vaccine that includes a live form of a virus.
While the medical recommendations on using the J&J vaccine are still not consistent, the use of the virus in our community seems to be best guided by the following:
- Everyone should take a vaccine to protect themselves and to bring Covid-19 under control.
- For transplant recipients, getting vaccinated has been strongly recommended across many programs, but not all.
- The choice of vaccines should be guided by discussions with your physicians and transplant teams at your transplant center who know your specific history and conditions.
- We anticipate formal announcements offering clarifying medical society position on this complex safety issue shortly.
