Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies COVID-19 vaccination consensus position statement.

2021-08

Hamad, Nada

Ananda-Rajah, Michelle

Gilroy, Nicole

MacIntyre, Raina

Gottlieb, David

Ritchie, David

Harrison, Simon

Kennedy, Glen

Watson, Anne M

Greenwood, Matthew

Doocey, Richard

Perera, Travis

Spencer, Andrew

Wong, Eric

O'Brien, Tracey

Shaw, Peter

Conyers, Rachel

Milliken, Samuel

Bardy, Peter

Larsen, Stephen

Ho, Phoebe J

Lai, Hock

Bajel, Ashish

Butler, Jason

Tiley, Campbell

D'Rozario, James

Johnston, Anna

Cochrane, Tara

Mills, Tony

Irving, Ian

Pullon, Humprey

Purtill, Duncan

COVID-19

allogeneic stem cell transplant

autologous stem cell

cellular therapy

transplant

vaccination

Journal Article

0000-0001-7929-1450

0000-0002-3667-2613

0000-0002-5983-753X

10.1111/imj.15263

Australia and New Zealand have achieved excellent community control of COVID-19 infection. In light of the imminent COVID-19 vaccination roll out in both countries, representatives of all adult and paediatric allogeneic bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) centres as well as representatives from autologous transplant only centres in Australia and New Zealand collaborated with infectious diseases specialists with expertise in TCT on this consensus position statement regarding COVID-19 vaccination in TCT patients in Australia and New Zealand. It is our recommendation that TCT patients, should have expedited access to high-efficacy COVID-19 vaccines given that these patients are at high risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection. We also recommend prioritising vaccination of TCT healthcare workers and household members of TCT patients. Vaccination should not replace other public health measures in TCT patients given the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in TCT patients is unknown. Furthermore, given the limited available data, prospective collection of safety and efficacy data of COVID-19 vaccination in this patient group is a priority.

link

Internal Medicine Journal 2021; 51(8): 1321-1323

Internal Medicine Journal