Hi I am a 73 year old female receiving BCG treatment for bladder cancer. I would be grateful if you could tell me if I should be getting the Covid vaccination. In the past I have been given both covid and flu but have only been offered the flu vaccination this year due to being under 75.
Hi Granny M,
Welcome to our online community and thank you for reaching out to us. I’m Alison, one of the cancer information nurses on the support line here at Macmillan.
It’s understandable you’re concerned about your eligibility to receive the Covid vaccine this year. It is true that the government criteria has changed this year from including adults aged over 65 last year, to only including those over 75 this year.
However, as you are receiving BCG treatment which can impact your immune system, you should also be eligible to access the vaccine. You should check with your specialist nurse or consultant that they are happy for you to have it and when would be the best time within your treatment protocol. You can access the NHS vaccination services via this link.
If you would like to talk this through some more with one of our nurses, please don't hesitate to get back in touch with us. We would be more than happy to discuss it and answer any other questions or concerns you may have. You can call our support line, email or use our online forums.
Best wishes
Alison P
Cancer Information Nurse
Our ref: AP/GH
