On Jan. 22, 2021, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a nonprofit alliance of leading U.S. cancer centers, issued new information to provide guidance for COID-19 vaccinations in people with cancer. The guidelines were created by the NCCN COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Committee which includes two leaders from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, William Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., and Carol Ann Huff, M.D., as well as other top hematology and oncology experts across the nation who have particular expertise in infectious diseases, vaccine development and delivery, medical ethics, and health information technology.

The new guidelines can help cancer care providers make informed decisions on how to protect their patients from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, based on available evidence plus expert consensus. According to the committee’s recommendations all people currently in active cancer treatment should get the vaccine, with special attention to issues such as immunosuppression and timing.

The full document can be accessed at www.nccn.org/covid-19, along with other vital information about the impact of COVID-19 on cancer care.

Nelson and Huff are available for interviews.