Question

Can people with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions use the COVID vaccines?

22 December 2020. Related: All topics, COVID-19.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

As with the question on HIV and cancer, the vaccine is still recommended for people living with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions. This includes people using immune suppressing drugs.

In this, it is very similar to getting a flu vaccine. Anyone who can use the flu vaccine can use a vaccine against COVID-19.

These include:

• Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, lupus).
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis).
• Psoriasis.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Organ transplant recipients.
• People on chemotherapy.

This is because of the high risks from COVID-19.

Although only a subset of people with these and other complications are so far included in vaccine studies, there is no safety concern. As above, the caution is that the vaccine might not be quite as effective.

Ongoing research though will be looking at this but this article is also helpful.
Why vaccines are recommended for people with immune suppression and autoimmune conditions.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/942853

This is one of more than 65 questions about COVID vaccines. It was produced by and for people living with HIV.
Q&A on COVID vaccines: are they safe and effective?
https://i-base.info/qa/16330