COVID-19: information for solid organ transplant recipients UPDATED: September 14, 2021
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COVID-19: information for solid organ transplant recipients UPDATED: September 14, 2021 BC Transplant is committed to supporting the wellbeing and safety of our patients and community. We understand this continues to be a stressful and anxious time for many people in the transplant community. All transplant programs are working tirelessly to protect the safety of patients and minimize risks related to COVID-19. If you have questions or concerns about your health, please contact your health care team. 1. Third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for transplant recipients (New) BC now offers solid organ transplant recipients a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to complete their initial vaccine series. This is because there is growing evidence that a third dose of vaccine offers increased protection for people who are immunocompromised, which includes transplant recipients. A third dose of vaccine is safe and recommended for transplant recipients. How to get your third dose: You will be contacted by the provincial Get Vaccinated system about how and when to receive a third dose. After receiving an email or text, you can visit any vaccine clinic for a drop-in appointment four weeks after your second dose. Starting October 6, you can also book an appointment online or by phone. If you have not been contacted by September 17, get in touch with your health care provider. A third dose is safe and provides additional protection to transplant recipients; however, it is not known exactly how much additional protection a third dose will provide. Protection is still not likely the same as for people who are not immunocompromised (general population). Evidence suggests that it will improve protection from COVID-19 infection and – most importantly – from severe disease. You will still need to be vigilant and continue to assess your own level of risk tolerance for choosing activities and interactions within the guidelines set out by Public Health. 2. COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and transplant recipients There are still many unknowns about how well protected transplant recipients are from COVID- 19 after vaccination. Page 1 of 5
• Emerging data suggest that transplant recipients, who are immunocompromised, have
less immune response to the COVID-19 vaccines available in BC (even after receiving a
third dose of vaccine).
• We don’t yet know how what is measured in blood relates with the actual level of
protection against COVID-19.
Transplant recipients receive significant indirect protection when more of the community is
vaccinated.
• This reduces the amount of the virus circulating and the overall risk for everyone.
• For transplant recipients, this “ring vaccination” (i.e. vaccinate everyone around them)
provides the most protection, similar to other common vaccines.
As more people are fully vaccinated, and less COVID-19 virus circulates, this “ring” protection
for transplant recipients will enable more confidence to increase social contacts and hopefully
resume a life that looks closer to normal.
Page 2 of 53. Getting vaccinated
All pre- and post-transplant patients are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Everybody in
BC who is 12+ can book their COVID-19 vaccine. This includes transplant recipients.
Transplant recipients are eligible to book their second dose at the minimum manufacturer
interval for vaccines (21-28 days).
You must be registered with the Get Vaccinated provincial registration system to be notified
when to book your second vaccine dose. All patients should ensure they are registered as this
will ensure they are notified when it is time to book their appointment for dose 2.
gov.bc.ca/GetVaccinated
After you get your vaccine, you will still need to follow any public health orders and advice.
The BCCDC also has the most current information about getting a vaccine.
4. BC Restart: considerations for transplant recipients
BC Transplant and your transplant clinic recommend that you and your close
contacts be fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
As restrictions ease through the BC Restart Plan, it is natural to feel anxious about a return to
normal. You may have questions about what this means for you as a transplant recipient.
• Continue to follow any measures recommended by public health.
• Continue to follow the hygiene practices that help protect you from many common
infections, as well as COVID-19: wash hands, regularly clean high-touch surfaces, avoid
touching your face and stay away from others who are sick.
There is limited data that suggests vaccine immune responses are lower for transplant
recipients. The safest choice is to continue to physically distance, meet in areas with good
ventilation (e.g. outside), wear a mask, and keep your social circle to a small number of fully
vaccinated people.
You will have to assess your own level of risk tolerance for choosing activities and interactions
beyond this. For example:
• You will need to decide when and how to expand social contacts, and whether you
know their vaccination status
Page 3 of 5• When masks are no longer required in public indoor settings, you might choose to
continue to wear one.
• You might choose to gather with a wider social circle outdoors rather than indoors.
Things to consider as you assess your risk:
- What is the level of vaccination in your community? When more people are
vaccinated, less virus will circulate in the community, and the risk may be lower for
everyone.
- What is the level of vaccination among your social circle? If your friends, family and
close contacts are fully vaccinated, this reduces your risk of exposure to COVID-19.
- How much COVID-19 is circulating in your community? The less COVID-19 is circulating,
the lower the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
- Can you make the activity safer? Your risk is lower when:
o You are outdoors with fewer people; and/or
o You have shorter contact time with physical distancing; and/or
o Your social contacts are also fully vaccinated.
The highest risk is when you have prolonged, close contact without masks in poorly ventilated
spaces and/or with people who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
Additional resources/information:
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Vaccinated against COVID-19? What does it mean to
me?
• BCCDC: COVID-19 Prevention and Risks Information
5. Antibody testing after vaccination
• Antibody tests are not recommended to evaluate a person’s level of immunity or
protection from COVID-19 at any time, and especially after receiving a COVID-19
vaccination.
• At this time, antibody levels cannot be used as a marker of immunity or protection from
infection after the person has received a COVID-19 vaccination.
• Please note that the antibody testing conducted by Life Labs cannot detect antibodies
generated after vaccination. It can only detect antibodies from an actual COVID
infection. Life Labs has some information on their website on this.
Page 4 of 56. Mask use Masks have a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Masks act as a barrier and help stop the spread of droplets from a person’s mouth and nose when talking, laughing, yelling, singing, coughing, or sneezing. You may choose to continue to wear a mask even when no longer required, depending on your own comfort level and where you are (e.g. COVID activity in your community, vaccination levels in your community, outdoor vs. indoor activities). Read more BCCDC recommendations on mask use. 7. What to expect for your regular transplant clinic visits Transplant clinics across the province are continuing with a mix of virtual and in-person clinic visits. Your transplant care team will let you know if you need to come into clinic for your appointment. This will depend on your health and the length of time since your transplant took place. If you are asked to come into a clinic in-person, please be reassured that clinics have measures to support physical distancing and public health requirements. 8. Information about transplant medications It’s important to take your transplant medications as prescribed by your transplant team. If you are feeling unwell and require medications, please do not visit your pharmacy. Instead, call your pharmacy and they will arrange to safely provide you with your medications. If necessary, pharmacies can offer medication delivery at no charge to transplant recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about COVID-19 The BCCDC has a webpage for patients with chronic health conditions, which is relevant for transplant recipients: BCCDC COVID-19 information for patients with chronic health conditions. This document is current as of September 14, 2021. Check the BC Transplant or the BCCDC website for the most current available information and updates. Page 5 of 5
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