Antibody tests and vaccinations in transplants

@zon Your number, 42.5, sounds good to me. What is considered the minimum antibody number that's effective? I was tested and my number was 13.83.

If you go for a third shot, how would you do that? Would you need to say you have not yet been vaccinated? I have heard too that you are better off getting a different vaccine than your original since the different vaccines attack Covid in different ways, so I had Pfizer and if I got a third vaccine it would be advantageous to get Moderna.

I really would like to get a third shot. I am still being extremely cautious but my son and his wife are expecting a baby in the fall and I would love to fly to visit them after the birth. The thought of flying though is sort of nerve-wracking for me. The thought of not visiting is heartbreaking.

@merpreb You are exactly right. Unvaccinated people are breeding grounds for new variants and with each new variant comes the risk that it will be more contagious and/or more deadly.
JK

I really wish you all would stop thinking that your right and others are wrong. I am still hearing of young people dying from the vaccine or major side effects. We are at my church now praying for a young family that had one death and another in the hospital hanging on and not from covid itself but the vaccine. So please stop say I no it's 100% safe I'm so tired of hearing that. Have some compassion for those who did have a reaction.

Oh Dana, I’m so sorry to hear about the tragic loss for this young family and for all of you at your church. It’s wonderful they have such a strong support system with you and your congregation. Please add me to the list of people praying for strength and healing for them.
Would you at all be comfortable sharing what happened? How old was the child who passed away?
It’s so sad that the family has another child seriously ill. Did either child have any underlying conditions at all?
I honestly don’t think any of us lack compassion for those who’ve had a reaction to the vaccine. Don’t forget I had a reaction too and entirely sympathetic to anyone dealing with unexpected side effects. No one has said this vaccine is 100% safe. No vaccine is without side effects. But this is such a volatile subject and bound to cause some heavy emotions.
Again, I’m so sorry for the devastating loss for this young family.

I agree wholeheartedly, Dana. It's one thing to disagree but not ok to shout down another's thoughts, whether they are right or wrong.

Dana- it's so sad to hear about children being very ill. It must tear at the heart of your church for feeling so helpless.

I notice that a few people have now said that the Mayo Team is not recommending a third vaccine. Here in the UK, a third vaccine is to be offered to all transplant patients in the Autumn ( Fall!). Can anyone tell me what reasons the Mayo Team are giving for their decision not to encourage a third vaccine? It would certainly help me in making my own decision.

I believe it's solely based on the recommendation from the CDC ,but I also heard a report that the current vaccines are good for all variants so also not necessary yet. It seems to be more of a push from pharmaceutical companies rather than the CDC or NIH.
I personally don't know what Mayo is recommending at this point.

Hi Wildcat, nice to hear from you again.

As of today, July 28, 2021, Mayo Clinic does not (yet) recommend giving a 3rd dose to our transplant recipients. A third or booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine has not been approved as standard of care as of today and there is no official recommendation to give a 3rd vaccine dose. The vaccines are approved only under an emergency use authorization and not fully FDA approved.

That said, Mayo Clinic is researching and monitoring closely the data as it evolves. There have been a number of clinical studies evaluating a 3rd dose of Covid-19 vaccine in transplant recipients, due to concerns over inadequate response to a standard 2-dose regimen. In cooperation with CDC and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Mayo Clinic will review the data and recommendations, and inform our transplant patients accordingly.

Thanks for your post and the clarification. We are all anxious yet encouraged that our doctors are being cautious!

Posted on my Mayo Patient Portal yesterday:
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Rosemary .............,

On behalf of our Transplant Center we wanted to share the following FAQs about COVID-19 vaccines. There are still many unknowns, but vaccines offer a new tool to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Do transplant patients on immunosuppression respond normally to COVID-19 vaccination?
Transplant patients on anti-rejection medications are less likely to respond to vaccination towards COVID-19. Many patients do not make antibodies towards COVID-19 at all with vaccination or the amount of antibody produced is lower. Immunosuppressed patients respond different to vaccines depending on the type and amount of immunosuppression that they are on.

Should I receive a vaccine towards COVID-19 even if it might be less effective?
Yes. Even if the vaccine is less effective, it likely provides some protection. The potential benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. We strongly recommend vaccination.

Can I receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster?
Immunization boosters have been given in many situations and have generally been considered safe. However, COVID-19 vaccine boosters have not been thoroughly studied. We recognize the support for COVID-19 immunization boosters by some experts in the field, but an official recommendation from the FDA regarding COVID-19 boosters in immunocompromised patients has not been released. Therefore, we cannot legally order an immunization booster at this time. Unfortunately, we also cannot write a letter recommending a booster for this reason.

Can I get a COVID-19 antibody test?
COVID-19 antibody tests are available. Anti-spike protein antibodies are a measure of vaccination response, but this test has limitations. This testing does provide some information, but patients with completely negative antibodies might have an immune response to COVID-19 that we are not measuring. A positive antibody test should also not be completely reassuring because your complete immune response may be decreased compared to the general population.

What precautions should I take towards COVID-19?
Encourage your close contacts to get vaccinated. The vaccine is effective in the general population and they provide protection to you when they are vaccinated. We also continue to encourage social distancing and avoidance of large crowds. We continue to encourage masking unless you are amongst a small group of vaccinated nonimmunocompromised individuals.

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