COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance Summary for Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (Part 4)
Rheumatic and musculoskeletal Disease (RMD) and Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (AIIRD) patients should receive COVID-19 vaccination, consistent with the age restriction of the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and/or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
RMD patients without an AIIRD who are on an immunomodulatory therapy should be vaccinated in a normal fashion.
For AIIRD patients not yet vaccinated, either of the mRNA such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is recommended over the J&J vaccine.
For a multi-dose vaccine, AIIRD patients should receive the second dose of the same vaccine.
AIIRD patients who completed the primary COVID vaccine series and are expected to have an inadequate vaccine response should get a supplemental dose.
For patients who received mRNA vaccine series or 1-dose J&J vaccine, and who are receiving a supplemental dose, an mRNA vaccine is preferred.
RMD patients who have completed a primary vaccine series, and any supplemental doses should receive booster dose(s).
We will continue with other guidelines in our next column to guide RMD and AIIRD patients on their vaccination needs.