Page History

COVID-19 VACCINATION

HPC donors should be considered high priorities for vaccination against COVID-19, and encouraged to vaccinate as early as possible.

In principle the vaccination should take precedence over the donation schedule, with donor mobilisation and/or collection scheduled around vaccine administration to allow appropriate intervals between vaccination, G-CSF mobilisation and collection. 

HPC or MNC donation after COVID-19 vaccination

...

Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) has also been reported as a rare complication after all types of COVID-19 vaccine, prompting some countries to recommend a minimum 14-day waiting period between vaccination and HPC collection or G-CSF conditioning.

Recommendations: to avoid overlap or interaction between vaccine and G-CSF side effects, donor mobilisation should not commence until at least 24 hours after the complete resolution of vaccine side effects.  Given that the immediate side effects of COVID-19 vaccination can last several days, G-CSF mobilisation in a volunteer HPC(A) donor should ideally be scheduled at least 7 days after a COVID-19 vaccine dose to avoid an unexpected delay to G-CSF mobilisation due to persistent vaccine side effects.  Where possible, a 14-day interval will also provide cover for the rare complication of ITP.  The same intervals can also be applied to HPC(M) and MNC(A) collection scheduling*.

...

For the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and possibly other virus vector-based COVID-19 vaccines, there is a theoretical concern that immune stimulation following G-CSF mobilisation could increase the risk of TTS.  However, there is currently insufficient data to predict the safe post-HPC(A) interval in this situation, and perhaps the best strategy for donors for whom COVID-19 vaccination is indicated following HPC(A) collection will be to choose, where available, a vaccine that does not use a virus vector.

Recommendations: a COVID-19 vaccine should not be given until the donor has fully recovered from HPC or MNC donation.  Virus vector vaccines could theoretically have a greater risk of TTS following G-CSF within an unknown timeframe, and where available it would be prudent to use an alternative vaccine that does not use a virus vector following HPC(A) donation.

...

Summary tables

...

AFTER VACCINATION WITH:	DONATION MAY PROCEED:
A COVID-19 vaccine that utilises a virus vector	HPC(A) – schedule G-CSF start date no less than 28 days, and where possible 42 days*, after vaccination. HPC(M) & MNC(A) – schedule collection date no less than 28 days, and where possible 42 days*, after vaccination.
Any other COVID-19 vaccine	HPC(A) – schedule G-CSF start date no less than 7 days, and where possible 14 days*, after vaccination. HPC(M) & MNC(A) – schedule collection date no less than 7 days, and where possible 14 days*, after vaccination.
*A shorter interval may be considered after second and subsequent doses of a virus vector-based vaccine, as the risk of TTS is much lower.  In addition, donors receiving a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine could be scheduled within 7 days if they have experienced minimal or no reaction to previous doses of the same vaccine – providing that G-CSF/collection does not commence within 24 hours of any unexpected vaccine reaction.

AFTER DONATING:	COVID-19 VACCINATION MAY BE GIVEN:
HPC(M) or MNC(A)	All vaccines: after the donor has fully recovered from the donation.
HPC(A)	Vaccines based on a virus vector: where available, an alternative vaccine should be used due to the theoretical risk of immune interaction with G-CSF. Other vaccines: after the donor has fully recovered from the donation.