Posts claim that patients are denied medical treatment due to their vaccination status

Multiple social media posts in English and Spanish are circulating misleading claims that people who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine are being denied organ transplants and other forms of medical treatment due to their vaccination status.

Recommendation: These types of posts may promote distrust in public health vaccine guidance. Updating informational materials, including websites and any FAQ materials, with messaging explaining why COVID-19 vaccines are important for transplant patients is recommended. Messaging may emphasize that some transplant centers may require patients to be vaccinated against a variety of diseases including COVID-19 because transplant patients take immunosuppressant medication during recovery to prevent their bodies from rejecting the new organ. This leaves unvaccinated transplant patients at increased risk of severe illness and death from a COVID-19 infection. Research shows that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness in organ transplant recipients.