COVID and Hep C FAQ

No. We know that COVID is very different to the hep C virus. COVID affects breathing (the respiratory system); hep C affects and infects the liver.

No.There is no evidence to suggest hep C treatments have an effect against COVID.

No. There is no evidence that hep C treatments affect your immune system or makes you more at risk of catching COVID.

Hep C medications directly attack the hep C virus; they do not have any impact on your immune system.

Yes. Definitely keep taking your hep C treatment. Only stop taking your treatment if told to by your doctor or specialist.

If you stop taking your treatment, the hep C virus will most likely come back and you won’t be cured.

The best time to start hep C treatment is up to you. If you are worried about hep C treatment and COVID, talk to your doctor. Starting treatment now means you can be cured and live free of hep C. It also can lower any risk of serious liver damage.

If you’d like to start treatment and don’t know where to start, get in touch with us at Hepatitis NSW.

No. There is no evidence that people cured of hep C are at higher risk of catching COVID or being severely ill if they do get it.

You might be at higher risk if you also have a chronic health condition, are over 70, or have a weakened immune system (see list below CLICK HERE >>>).

No. You can protect yourself against COVID in the same ways as everyone else. We all need be careful to stop the spread of COVID, for our own health and for the health of our communities.

You should take extra care to protect yourself from COVID if you:
– have an additional health condition (see a full list here >>>);
– are over 70;
– are over 50 and Aboriginal;
– have a weakened immune system.

Follow Government advice on keeping safe and stopping the spread of COVID CLICK HERE >>>

No. There is no evidence that having hep C makes you higher risk for severe illness from COVID.

No. There is no evidence that people living with hep C are at higher risk of catching COVID.

Follow Government advice on keeping safe and stopping the spread of COVID CLICK HERE >>>

Yes. People who have had a liver transplant and are on anti-rejection drugs can, and should, still get vaccinated for COVID. People who have had a liver transplant are more likely to get very sick if they get COVID. The vaccines are safe and effective.

Yes. The COVID vaccines are safe and recommended for people with cirrhosis. Getting vaccinated for COVID may be especially important for people with cirrhosis of the liver who are at increased risk of serious illness should they get COVID.

No. There is no reason to be concerned about the COVID vaccines if you’re on hep C treatment. You should definitely keep taking treatment to have the best chance of being cured.

No. There is no reason to be concerned about getting the COVID vaccines. There is no evidence to suggest that the COVID vaccines have any negative impact on a person who has hep C, or who had hep C.

Health conditions that might contribute to a higher possible severity include:

• coronary heart disease,
• hypertension (high blood pressure),
• diabetes,
• obesity,
• cancer, and
• chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.

Older people, particularly those over the age of 70, are also especially at risk of severe illness and death from COVID.

Aboriginal people, particularly those over the age of 50, could also be at greater risk of severe illness because of generally higher rates of chronic illness. See Close The Gap >>>

Not having any additional health conditions, or being a young person, does not mean that severe COVID illness is not possible.
Click here for a full list of conditions that can make you most at risk for severe COVID illness >>

If you are worried that you might have COVID, take a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).  For more info CLICK HERE >>> or call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

If you feel really unwell, call 000 and seek urgent medical care.

If you have had a liver transplant you will be on immunosuppressive medication. There is currently no evidence that being on this medication increases the risk of severe COVID infection.  However long-term transplant patients are at risk of the health conditions that are known to increase the risk of severe COVID. For this reason, it is important to stay up to date with all COVID vaccinations and boosters as recommended by the Department of Health.

Give your specialist a call and discuss your health with them. They’ll be able to advise what steps to take and what is best for your health at this time. If you are diagnosed with COVID, you should let your liver transplant team know as antiviral medications are recommended for some people.

If you have cirrhosis of the liver there is no evidence that you have a higher chance of catching COVID.

Having cirrhosis of the liver can increase the risk of severe illness if you have COVID.

If you have elevated liver enzymes or abnormal liver function test (LFT) as a result of liver disease, you may also be at risk of severe illness if you have COVID.

For these reasons, it’s best to take all necessary precautions to keep yourself safe from COVID by following government and medical recommendations.

Everyone with cirrhosis should see their liver specialist regularly. Call and speak to your specialist about what is best for your health.