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← Return to Transplant: No or Few Antibodies after COVID Vaccination
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Transplant: No or Few Antibodies after COVID Vaccination
Transplants | Last Active: Mar 7, 2022 | Replies (193)Comment receiving replies
Hi all,
If you are a transplant patient and have no antibodies from the vaccine, are you planning on spending Thanksgiving dinner with your vaccinated family and friends? Also, has anyone attempted eating out with vaccinated friends at an off hour? I am weighing the idea of coming out of my bubble a little since the Florida numbers have appeared to improve a little (and knowing this disease will be in our lives for a long time). I am hopeful about the Merck antiviral pill and other treatments coming down the pike but how long are you waiting to be social? Unfortunately, Thanksgiving and going to a restaurant would mean no mask while eating and talking. Please let me know what you are thinking?
Replies to "Hi all, If you are a transplant patient and have no antibodies from the vaccine, are..."
@hello1234, I have 'had' to be out of my safety zone for the past year+ due to a serious medical emergency/caregiving of a family member. I have practiced all of the CDC safety recommendations, even before we had the vaccine available and with fear and anxiety. Now that I have had all of my Covid19 vaccines, and my flu vaccine, I continue to keep the same safety precautions. I am fortunate that I have not caught Covid or anything else.
As a 12 year transplant recipient, I had already learned that I have to distance, avoid people who are sick, wash hands for my own health. I think that must have helped me to be cautious during holiday celebrations, even before the Covid19 era. And my close family/friends are super vigilant about watching out for my needs.
As for restaurants, I have a 'safe' restaurant where I am comfortable. It was where my son was a GM before his serious accident/spinal cord injury last fall. I was comfortable going there because he wrote the guidelines for re-opening after the Covid closure. We choose to go at the uncrowded times - aka 'old timers hours' - between 3;'00- 5:00. This works well for any restaurant that you are comfortable with, based on your previous experience.
Only you can decide, but I have thought of some things that I would consider:
Do you know where your family will be dining on Thanksgiving? Have you considered doing a trial visit there so you can see first hand if the environment is comfortable to you? Have you thought about calling and speaking to the manager (non mealtime hours) about your concerns? And about seating and spacing?
Are your family members following CDC guidelines? Are the members of your family vaccinated? Do they respect your food, drink, safety needs?
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Hey @hello1234, I have eaten at outdoor restaurant settings, where there is spaced out tables and, even if covered, still good air flow. However, I will still not eat at an indoor setting. I did, however, go to an indoor concert recently and I’m going to a dance concert Saturday 💃🏼. Both venues required vaccination cards or neg test proof, and masks.
I will go to my vaccinated friends’, small Thanksgiving gathering this year.
I have to start my job on Monday, however, and return to in person work for the first time in more than 1.5 years. This I’m definitely quite nervous about as the city hall is an older building full of people I don’t know and will be working in close contact with on a daily basis. 😷
In sum, I think there are positive mental advantages to going to a limited number of outings, masked. Although, since Florida’s Governor probably does not allow vaccination proof requirements, I would be extra careful. For me, I trust my friends to know my risks, so if they have concerns about any exposure to Covid they would let me know. And, I wouldn’t gather with them.