Vaccinations

Having cirrhosis can make your immune system weaker and put you at higher risk of getting sick from viruses.

Vaccines can help lower your risk.

Below you can find information about some common vaccines you can consider. Ask your health care team which vaccines are right for you and how you can access them in your community.

COVID-19

Local availability and prioritization policies will affect when you may be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. People with cirrhosis should get the first COVID vaccine they are eligible for. If you have had infection or fever, you should wait to get vaccine until you are recovered.

For more information COVID-19 vaccine click here.

Until more data is available, below are some liver related COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. These are general, and may not apply to your specific health situation. Talk to your healthcare team to find out what is recommended for you.

Hepatitis B or C

PBC and Autoimmune Hepatitis

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Liver Transplant Candidates

Living Liver Donors

Liver Transplant Recipients

Based on the AASLD Expert Panel Consensus Statement on Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19 Infection in Patients with Liver Disease

Influenza vaccine

If you have cirrhosis, you should get the influenza vaccine each year (usually available in the fall), to protect you against influenza viruses. This can usually be arranged through your family doctor or the public health clinic in your community. For more information, visit the links below:

What Difference Could the Flu Shot Make?

Influenza (FLU) vaccine

Common questions about influenza immunization

Pneumococcal Vaccine (Pneumovax)

If you have cirrhosis, you should get the pneumococcal vaccine to protect you against pneumococcal diseases. This can usually be arranged through your family doctor or the public health clinic in your community. For more information, visit the links below:

Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine FAQs

Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PNEUMO-P) vaccine

Hepatitis A & B Vaccines (Twinrix, Havrix)

Hepatitis A & B are viruses that can damage your liver. If you have cirrhosis, you should get vaccines to protect you against these viruses. This can usually be arranged through your family doctor or the public health clinic in your community. For more information, visit the links below:

Hepatitis A and B (HABV) vaccine

Useful Links

Canadian Liver Foundation
American Liver Foundation
My Liver Passport

References:

The information on this page was adapted (with permission) from the references below, by the Cirrhosis Care Alberta project team (physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered dietitians, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and patient advisors).

This information is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare team. They know your medical situation best. Always follow your healthcare team’s advice.

References:

Last reviewed March 15, 2021