Nonprofit cancer alliance the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) on Monday launched the fourth version of its free COVID-19 vaccination guide at NCCN.org/covid-19 and also provided the latest data from the US FDA and CDC regarding a third mRNA vaccine dose for immunocompromised people.

NCCN recommendations have reportedly been used by cancer care providers around the world to make management decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic based on all available evidence plus expert consensus.

Based on the NCCN recommendations, immunocompromised patients eligible for a third dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine must have received treatment for solid tumours within one year, suffering active hematologic malignancies, received a stem cell transplant (SCT) or engineered cellular therapy within two years and any recipients of allogeneic SCT on immunosuppressive therapy, as well as anyone with HIV or being treated with immunosuppressive agents.

In addition, the NCCN highlights the CDC's timing recommendations of at least four weeks between second and third doses. Patients who develop COVID-19 despite initial vaccination should wait until they have documented clearance of the virus before their third dose.

Concurrently, the people living in the same household with immunocompromised individuals should get the third dose, concluded NCCN.