COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines for Immunocompromised Individuals

Primary Recommendation

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all individuals aged ≥6 months receive at least one dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of prior vaccination history 1
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend COVID-19 vaccination for patients with cancer, as these individuals face higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes 3
Individuals with brain cancer should be considered moderately or severely immunocompromised and requires updated COVID-19 vaccination with the 2024-2025 vaccine formulation 1, 3

Persons with cancer who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and have previously received COVID-19 vaccines should get at least 1 dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine 1
After receiving the initial 2024-2025 dose, individuals may receive 1 additional age-appropriate dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months later, guided by their oncologist's assessment of their immune status 1

Updated COVID-19 vaccines should ideally be administered at least 2 weeks before initiation or resumption of immunosuppressive therapies 3
If the patient is currently receiving active cancer treatment, coordination with their oncology team is essential to optimize timing 3
All household members should be up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines to provide indirect protection for this immunocompromised patient 3

The 2024-2025 vaccines are specifically formulated against current circulating variants, providing better protection than previous series vaccines 2

Do not delay vaccination beyond the recommended timeframe, as this prolongs the period of suboptimal protection for this high-risk patient 2
Do not overlook the individual's immunocompromised status due to brain cancer, which may warrant additional doses beyond the standard single 2024-2025 dose 1, 3
Do not forget to consider delaying vaccination by 3 months if the individual has had a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection, though this is optional 1