Researchers at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University found that COVID-19 vaccines are much less effective for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, particularly those ages 65 and older. After vaccination, many of these patients produced low or no antibodies that bind or neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern, particularly Omicron.
When our hematological malignancy testing pilot project began in Eldoret, Kenya, there seemed to be a mismatch in relation to progress in healthcare. The region, like much of sub-Saharan Africa, had been focusing on combatting infectious diseases such as HIV and malaria—which was much-needed—yet cancer care was under-resourced.
