A growing body of evidence shows that people with cancer bear a higher risk of hospitalization and death if they develop coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A letter to U.S. President Joseph R. Biden and the leaders of state public health departments calls for the prioritization of vaccinating people with cancer and survivors against COVID-19. The letter was signed by 130 organizations, including NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

“Patients with cancer who are in treatment often receive frequent in-person clinical care, which has the potential to increase their risk of exposure to the virus,” the letter states. “Furthermore, certain patients with cancer are vulnerable to infection because of their weakened immune status, which is attributable to their cancers and/or their treatments. Clearly, vaccinating patients with cancer who are in treatment offers the best protection against the threat of contracting the virus.”

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