Cancer patients being left behind in vaccine dash

One hundred percent of cancer patients have potentially fatal comorbidities when combined with COVID-19. According to the National Institute of Health, “Patients with cancer who develop COVID -19 have a high probability of mortality. Appropriate and aggressive preventive measures must be taken to reduce the risk of COVID -19 in patients with cancer and to optimally manage those who do contract the infection.” Inoculation should be one of those measures.

With the expansion to to 1B list of people eligible for the vaccine, with no time between proposal and implementation, millions of healthy people over 65 were budged ahead of younger cancer patients. The day of the announcement, cancer-free friends over 65 had scheduled appointments to receive the vaccine as far out as April. Cancer patients under 65 learned they will just have to wait longer.

The software that sorts applicants for a vaccination appointment does not allow them to express current medical issues. There is nobody to call to discuss extenuating circumstances.

Cancer sufferers spend extensive time in hospitals, sharing equipment, hallways and waiting areas, infusion rooms. These are congregate environments, like restaurants, nursing home lounges, school cafeterias, except that people who responsibly stay away from other public settings rush to the hospital. The potential for spread and fatality is very real.

The goal is to get the most vulnerable prioritized. Can something be done to get younger cancer patients inoculated?

Robert Kasman

Schenectady