# Covid vaccine for cancer survivor **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [January 1, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053 "2022-01-01T23:47:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/21 "2022-01-05T04:16:41Z")
Hey, A fellow PTC survivor! How is your scar? Mine is barely noticeable now, at six years on. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/22 "2022-01-05T16:12:12Z")
Mine is pretty pale, not that noticeable, but I do feel like it looks a bit twisted in one spot where maybe the suture got kinked a bit! But overall I don’t worry about it at all and usually forget it’s there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/23 "2022-01-05T16:20:16Z")
A friend of a friend is a breast cancer survivor. When she asked her oncologist about getting the vaccine, his reply was “I’m not going to be the FDA’s guinea pig.” Friend reported this to me as I happen to work at the hospital where asshat oncologist works. I swiftly sent an email to HIS boss about his advice to patients. I am not privvy to the ensuing conversation. However, the AH oncologist ended up hospitalized with COVID. And he’s a lung cancer survivor. Needless to say I discourage people from seeing him. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/24 "2022-01-06T15:33:05Z")
So, “I’m not going to be the FDA’s guinea pig but I’m perfectly willing to be COVID’s incubator.” 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/25 "2022-01-07T23:34:32Z")
I really was a vaccine guinea pig, and I felt safer doing that than taking my chances with the virus. (Even though I’m not really all that scared of the virus, either; I’m young, healthy, and arrogant enough to firmly believe I’ll survive it no matter what.) But no, anyone getting vaxxed at this point is not being a guinea pig. Just pigheaded, for not doing it sooner. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053/26 "2022-01-08T00:05:51Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > In Australia the only reasons you might be able to get an exemption from having a vaccine are if you: > > - had anaphylaxis after a previous dose of a vaccine > - had anaphylaxis after a dose of any component of a vaccine > - are significantly immunocompromised—for live vaccines only > - have natural immunity—for hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox only. > > So for Covid only the first two apply, AND can probably be avoided by using a different vaccine (as happened to my partner). Your person is absolutely fine to get vaccinated against Covid, IMO. In the US i know several people who have been encouraged by their doctor to wait before getting vaccinated. Here are a couple: 1. their immune system is temporarily depressed due to a short-term treatment. They should wait and get vaccinated later. For instance, a friend was being treated for an ectopic pregnancy, and the treatment dampened her immune system. It’s relevant that this was when vaccines were first being rolled out and were in very short supply. But also, it’s hard to get “extra” doses, so you don’t want to use up your quota when it will be less helpful. 2. people who get monoclonal antibodies are told to wait 90 days before getting vaccinated. In this case it’s not that their their immune system is dampened, but that the antibodies already in the blood will mop up too much of the virus and may prevent their own immune system from noticing it and reacting appropriately. These people were all advised to get vaccinated after n days, and all have. And those with permanent immune deficiency have been advised to get vaccinated ASAP to give what immune function they have as much chance as possible to work. Everyone i know with cancer has been advised to be vaccinated, of course. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-vaccine-for-cancer-survivor/957053.md?page=1)