Julia's Call to Get the Vaccine
- Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus has an important message for the SurvivorNet community, as she implores others to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Julia was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2017; she had six rounds of chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy.
- Getting the Covid-19 vaccine protects you, and those around you; some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, can blunt the immune system, making a person more susceptible to contracting Covid-19.
In an exclusive video for SurvivorNet, Julia, appearing in a black coat and looking fresh and gorgeous, implores readers to get vaccinated for COVID in order to protect cancer patients everywhere.
Read MoreJulia’s Breast Cancer Battle
Julia, 60, was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2017. To treat her disease, she had six rounds of chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy. Related: New Episode of 'The Simpsons' Features Breast Cancer Survivor Character Who Had Unilateral Mastectomy; Embracing Your Look after Breast CancerThe Seinfeld star was admirably vulnerable and vocal throughout her breast cancer journey and publicly discussed her disease, which helped to raise awareness around breast cancer.
Related: When Should I Get a Mammogram?
While Julia is now cancer-free, it's important for survivors, cancer patients, and people who have not been diagnosed with cancer to be diligent with their annual screening tests. Cancer screening tests like mammograms, colonoscopies, and skin checks save lives.
When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
Getting the Covid-19 Vaccine
It’s important to get the Covid-19 vaccine when and if you are able, particularly if you’re someone who is a cancer survivor, if you’re currently battling cancer, or if you’re regularly in close contact with someone who has cancer. Some treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy, blunt the immune system, meaning a person with cancer could be more likely to contract Covid-19.
Related: Expert Panel Advises Everyone with Cancer to Get COVID-19 Vaccine
Getting the Covid-19 vaccine saves lives and it’s the best way to support and protect those around you from getting sick, as Julia notes in her video.
Julia’s Message for SurvivorNet on Helping People with Breast Cancer
Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, a doctor from the Mayo Clinic, spoke in an earlier interview about the importance of getting vaccinated if you have cancer. He also assures people of vaccine safety, saying, "It is very safe and there is no increased risk to you just because you have cancer."
"As long as you are feeling well, just go ahead with the vaccine whenever it's offered to you. Sometimes even on the same day if you are going to the clinic to get a small dose of chemotherapy and they're giving the vaccine, just get it, there's really no major problem," Dr. Rajkumar says. "The only people for whom we are saying to delay by a month or two are patients who have had a stem cell transplant because we have wiped out (the patients' immune system). And so you want to wait until some of the recovery happens so when you give the vaccine, they have an immune response."
5 COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Answered by Expert Physician
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