NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — While most people who contracted the COVID-19 virus are back to enjoying their normal activities surrounded by others, that’s not the case for those who have undergone cancer or leukemia treatments and have weakened immune systems.

Yale Cancer Center researcher Jeffrey Townsend decided to make that dilemma his recent focus. He extrapolated data from many studies already done on COVID-19.

Townsend said the Centers for Disease Control Preventions’ guidelines for immunocompromised patients is to get boosters “as needed.” Wanting to know more, Townsend set out with another researcher to give patients some guidance based on science.

In his studies Townsend, was able to predict the likelihood of future COVID-19 infections in cancer and leukemia patients.

The study predicted that one out of every three patients who do not get boosted will be infected within two years. Those who got boosted ever six months reduced their risk of infection to just one in every 20 patients.

“We can figure out what treatments are associated with that higher risk and what kind of booster schedules might aid those patients,” Townsend said.

His findings were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Townsend also determined those who were given targeted treatments, such as leukemia patients, may need more boosters.

“I hope this study informs doctors and patients what to do, since there isn’t advice out there about what to do if you are considering getting booster vaccinations and you are a cancer patient,” Townsend said.