Reduce the Risk.
Vaccinations have been shown to reduce our risk of getting serious illnesses.
We have all received vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus when we were children as these immunizations were needed to enter school. Now children can also get immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis B and HPV. There is a lot of evidence that shows that getting the yearly flu (influenza) shot not only lowers your chance of getting the flu, but it helps protect the loved ones around you too.
We advise people with CF to get the COVID-19 vaccine and annual influenza vaccinations.
People who will be receiving a lung transplant must get up to date vaccinations to protect against illness after transplant.
Vaccinations have been shown to reduce our risk of getting serious illnesses.
We have all received vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus when we were children as these immunizations were needed to enter school. Now children can also get immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis B and HPV. There is a lot of evidence that shows that getting the yearly flu (influenza) shot not only lowers your chance of getting the flu, but it helps protect the loved ones around you too.
We advise people with CF to get the COVID-19 vaccine and annual influenza vaccinations.
People who will be receiving a lung transplant must get up to date vaccinations to protect against illness after transplant.
COVID-19 Vaccine
We strongly recommend all CF patients receive the vaccine to protect themselves and others from infection. Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has been shown in large scale trials to protect you from getting sick, being hospitalized or dying after infection with this virus. People with CF are vulnerable because they have underlying lung disease as well as some of the risk factors associated with worse health outcomes such as diabetes. Studies have shown that people with CF who have received a transplant are at increased risk of being admitted to the hospital, requiring oxygen and even dying after infection with COVID-19. The main way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is for the entire community to stay up to date on the COVID-19 vaccines, including the booster shots. Additionally, it is important that you continue to follow local guidelines of prevention measures which may include wearing masks in high-risk settings.
COVID-19 vaccines are available to everybody aged 6 months and older in Ontario at no cost. We encourage you to get booster doses, as evidence shows that vaccine protection decreases over time. If it has been at least six months since your last dose or confirmed COVID-19 infection, you are eligible for a booster dose. We encourage you to speak to our team or a health care provider to determine if this makes sense for you.
Remember, vaccines don’t prevent you from getting COVID-19 but they prevent you from getting very sick and needing to be hospitalized.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. You can reach us through our General Inquiry & Clinic Bookings by telephone at 416-864-5409 or via email at CFClinic.Bookings@unityhealth.to.
Influenza Vaccine
It always seems that flu season is just around the corner and there is lots of discussion as to who should get the vaccine and who shouldn’t. Those who have a pulmonary exacerbation are often asked to wait to receive their vaccine until they are over their acute exacerbation.
Otherwise, we generally recommend that all CF patients and their family members receive the influenza vaccine on a yearly basis. This is meant to protect not only yourself, but your loved ones as well.
Vaccines Prior To Lung Transplant
There are several vaccines that are required as individuals are being assessed for lung transplant. These may include Twinrix (hepatitis A/B vaccine), Pneumovax (pneumococcal vaccine), Varivax (varicella zoster vaccine), and Gardasil for women (HPV vaccine). Please reach out if you have any questions about any of these.