COVID-19 Vaccine Information

With three COVID-19 vaccines now authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you might be wondering which vaccine is best for current and former cancer patients. After reviewing all available data, MD Anderson medical experts agree that all three vaccines are safe and recommended for cancer patients.

So, should you take Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (J&J), which requires only one dose, if that’s what’s available? Or should you wait for one of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which both require two doses, spaced 21 and 28 days apart, respectively?

According to our experts, the answer is clear: “Don’t pass up an opportunity to get the vaccine, no matter which one it is,” says Anita Ying, M.D., vice president of Ambulatory Medical Operations. “The best COVID-19 vaccine to get is the first one available to you.”

Timing matters for cancer patients getting a COVID-19 vaccine

Ying’s advice is particularly true for cancer patients, since some may be immunocompromised, making them both more vulnerable to severe infections and more likely to need hospitalization should they contract COVID-19.

“The sooner you can start building resistance to the novel coronavirus, the sooner you’ll have at least some protection against it,” notes infectious diseases specialist David Tweardy, M.D. “And that benefits everyone.”

For patients in active treatment, a COVID-19 vaccine will likely be more effective when coordinated with their treatment schedules. Those who have recently had surgery should wait two weeks before receiving one. And those enrolled in clinical trials, or who are receiving chemotherapy, CAR T cell therapy, immunotherapy or stem cell transplants should consult their care teams for additional guidance on timing.

Other timing considerations apply for those who’ve received a different vaccine recently, who’ve received monoclonal antibody therapy or convalescent plasma to treat a COVID-19 infection.

Everyone else can receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as one becomes available to them.

Benefits of all three vaccines outweigh risks of COVID-19

No matter which COVID-19 vaccine you get, you can rest assured that it is both safe and effective in protecting against severe infections. Vaccines must be at least 50% effective at preventing symptomatic infection in order to be authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.

“The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 95% and 94% effective, respectively, at preventing symptomatic infection,” says Tweardy. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 67% effective overall.”

At first glance, that may make the J&J vaccine look slightly less desirable. But both the J&J and the Pfizer vaccines were 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations and death due to COVID-19, and the Moderna vaccine was 89% effective. The J&J vaccine also had the second-highest rates of efficacy at preventing severe infections: 77% after 14 days and 85% after 28 days.

“The overall numbers are different,” notes Tweardy. “There’s no getting around that. But when you consider the fact that different strains of the virus were circulating at the time the Johnson & Johnson one was being tested, it’s really not a fair comparison. What we’re looking for is a vaccine that prevents death and allows patients to survive the infection, and that’s exactly what the Johnson & Johnson one does, just as effectively as the other two.”

One dose or two: choosing the COVID-19 vaccine that’s right for you

Though their methods of accomplishing it differ slightly, all of the current COVID-19 vaccines work by inducing people’s bodies to produce a spike protein dotting the novel coronavirus’ surface. Recipients’ immune systems then recognize the protein as an invader and start generating antibodies against it.  

This immune response is what makes vaccine recipients much less likely to develop a COVID-19 infection, should they ever be exposed to it. And that’s why it’s best to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Still, there may be some situations in which it makes more sense to opt for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. For one thing, the J&J vaccine requires only one dose to be effective, while the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines require two, spaced several weeks apart. That means you could achieve the maximum protection afforded by the J&J vaccine in a much shorter time period.

“The goal is to start building up resistance as quickly as possible,” says Tweardy. “So, the sooner you can launch that process, the better. But if you’re really afraid of needles or unable to commit to receiving a second dose at the recommended time, Johnson & Johnson might be a better option for you, if it’s available.”

When a vaccine opportunity knocks, don’t hesitate

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine are still limited across the country. So, if an opportunity arises to get a COVID-19 vaccine, think very hard before letting it pass you by — especially if the only reason you’d be doing so because it’s not the vaccine you’d prefer most.

“It might be several weeks or months before you get another opportunity,” adds Ying. “And it may or may not be the one you want. So, in my opinion, it’s not worth missing the chance to be vaccinated.”

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines earlier this month for those who’ve gotten vaccinated against COVID-19, many breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, after almost a full year of social distancing, hand-washing, and wearing masks, the CDC said it was OK for individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to spend time with other family members and friends — under certain limited conditions.

But what do the new guidelines mean for current and former cancer patients? And how do they apply to anyone who is immunocompromised?

“If you are a current cancer patient or immunocompromised, the short answer is that nothing has changed,” says Chief Infection Control Officer Roy Chemaly, M.D. “Even if you are fully vaccinated, you cannot let your guard down.”

Why cancer patients should remain vigilant even after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine

The reason for Chemaly’s caution is simple: while all three COVID-19 vaccines with emergency use authorization provide some level of protection against both a severe case of COVID-19 and the possibility of hospitalization or death because of it, none of them offers absolute protection against infection. That means some small degree of risk still exists, even if you’ve been fully vaccinated.

“And, because cancer patients’ immune systems may not be up to par, they may not respond the same way as the average person’s,” says Chemaly. “So, they may not be as protected as healthier individuals and they may still develop symptomatic COVID-19.”

Also, because the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) is still so new, much remains uncertain — including whether fully vaccinated people can develop mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 infections.

“We know the vaccines protect most people from severe infection and hospitalization, but not necessarily mild or asymptomatic cases,” Chemaly says. “The data looks good so far, but we just don’t know yet.”

What this means for current and former cancer patients

So, what does all of this mean for you?

If you’re a former cancer patient who’s no longer in active treatment and you’re not considered immunocompromised, you can follow the CDC’s new guidelines:

• You may visit with other people indoors, without wearing a mask, if everyone present has been fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means it’s been at least two weeks since someone has received either the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
• You may spend time unmasked indoors with a small group of unvaccinated people from another household, provided none of them are at increased risk, and you’ve been fully vaccinated.

If you’re a current cancer patient, it means you should stay the course, and continue doing everything you’ve been doing for the past year to safeguard your health, including:

• Wearing a mask in public
• Keeping your distance from anyone who doesn’t live with you
• Washing your hands frequently
• Postponing non-essential business and leisure travel

“It’s rare, but we are seeing some cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 even after vaccination,” Chemaly says. “So, you have to be vigilant. We’re not out of the woods yet.”

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.

Last updated April 8, 2021

If you're currently in cancer treatment or have previously had cancer, you might be wondering if you should get the COVID-19 vaccine – and whether you can get vaccinated at MD Anderson.

“After careful review of all available evidence, our clinical experts have determined COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are safe and recommended for former and current cancer patients,” says Welela Tereffe, M.D., chief medical executive. “They were highly effective at preventing symptomatic infection when tested in the general population, including in people with serious medical conditions.”

Here’s what our cancer patients should know about getting vaccinated at MD Anderson.

MD Anderson is inviting patients to schedule COVID-19 vaccination in phases

MD Anderson will vaccinate patients with one of the three COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the FDA, depending on the supply we are given by the state of Texas. The benefits of vaccination with any of the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines far outweigh any differences between the products.

You will receive both text notifications and a notification in MyChart when new clinics are open for self-scheduling. This will be a personalized notification, which means only you will be able to sign up with the link. If you have a schedule conflict when you receive your invitation, you can use this same invitation to schedule in the future.

Timing matters for cancer patients receiving certain treatments

Cancer patients currently receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, CAR T cell therapy, stem cell transplants or who are participating in clinical trials should check with their MD Anderson provider about vaccine appointment timing. There are no safety concerns about vaccination for patients who are in treatment, but the vaccines will likely be more effective if timed in coordination with your treatment schedule.

• If you are a current or past breast cancer patient, ask to receive the vaccine in the arm opposite of your breast cancer site. This will help support your immune respones and lessen lymph node enlargement. Enlarged lymph nodes can falsely affect cancer screening and diagnostic imaging results up to 6 weeks after vaccination.
• Patients who have recently had surgery should wait for 2 weeks after their surgery date to receive the vaccine.
• You should defer COVID-19 vaccination for 14 days after receiving any other vaccine.
• You should defer vaccination for 90 days after treatment for symptomatic COVID-19 with monoclonal antibody therapy or convalescent plasma.
• If you need a diagnostic imaging exam that includes your axillary lymph nodes, talk to your doctor to see if it is medically appropriate to delay the exam for 6 to 10 weeks after your COVID-19 vaccination. Your body's immune response to the vaccine may cause temporary inflammation of your axillary nodes and interfere with your imaging exam.

In rare cases, people with a history of allergic reactions should proceed with caution or avoid vaccination. Please review these resources for further information:

• Pfizer fact sheet for vaccine recipients (ingredients, benefits, risks/side effects): English | Spanish | Other languages
• Moderna fact sheet for vaccine recipients (ingredients, benefits, risks/side effects):  English | Spanish | Other languages
• Johnson & Johnson fact sheet for vaccine recipients (ingredients, benefits, risks/side effects): English

All other patients can proceed to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment without contacting their MD Anderson provider for further guidance. 

“Cancer patients and survivors shouldn’t pass up the chance to get the vaccine, wherever it is available to them,” says Anita Ying, M.D., vice president of Ambulatory Medical Operations.

Patients should get the vaccine wherever it is available to them. Patients who have received the vaccine at another health care provider should let their care team know.

If you receive a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you will need to return for your second dose at your scheduled time

While Johnson & Johnson's vaccine requires only one dose, both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines require two doses to ensure maximum efficacy. The Pfizer vaccine is delivered in two separate doses that are given 3 weeks apart. The Moderna vaccine is delivered in two separate doses given 4 weeks apart.

If you get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at MD Anderson, plan to receive both doses here, on schedule. If you get your first dose at another health care provider, plan to get your second dose from them, too. Each institution is only given enough Dose 2 supply to match their Dose 1 supply.

“You need to get both doses at the designated time unless you have an immediate or severe allergic reaction to the vaccine ingredients,” says Roy Chemaly, M.D., chief infection control officer.

We are only providing the COVID-19 vaccines on our Texas Medical Center Campus

All patient vaccination clinics are held on MD Anderson’s Texas Medical Center Campus at our Mid Campus Building 1 (1MC), located at 7007 Bertner. Free parking is available in the 1MC garage. Those with appointments will receive a map and directions as part of their scheduling process.

1MC is the only location where we will offer vaccines for the near future.

Concealed handguns aren't allowed in our vaccine clinics.

Visitor restrictions remain in place

To protect our employees and patients with weakened immune systems from COVID-19, MD Anderson is not allowing visitors on our campuses, with limited exceptions. As a result, patients will not be able to bring a caregiver with them when they receive the COVID-19 vaccine, even if that person has already received the vaccine.

Please plan for your family members or caregivers to drop you off and pick you up if they are driving you to your vaccine appointment. The Respite Area is not open on the weekends.

COVID-19 screening and masking protocols continue

Plan to arrive a few minutes early for your vaccine appointment. You’ll be screened for COVID-19 at the entrance and will asked to wear the medical-grade face mask we provide while you’re on our campus. To prevent the spread of infection, we also ask that you maintain social distancing and sanitize your hands.

There is no cost to you for the COVID-19 vaccine

Your insurance may be billed for the COVID-19 vaccine administration fee. Your insurance carrier should process the vaccine administration charge without applying any out-of-pocket costs to you. There is no charge for the vaccine itself, which is being provided by the state at no cost.

Community resources

Since COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited and MD Anderson is working to prevent the spread of the virus on our campuses, we are only able to provide the vaccine for our employees and invited patients at this time.

Friends and family members in Texas may be able to find vaccine options through the Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Availability site. This interactive website allows users to locate vaccine distribution sites, including those that currently have available first doses.

Also, check for information from health care systems that have been designated as vaccination hub providers. 

Continue COVID-19 precautions even after you get vaccinated

Even after you’ve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s important to continue wearing a mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently.

“We are optimistic that vaccination will help us turn the tide against COVID-19 in the coming months, but it won’t be overnight, including for anyone who’s been vaccinated,” says Chemaly. 

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