How Rheumatology Patients Should Be Vaccinated for COVID-19

In early February, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) announced an updated version of its COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance for Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. This update - the fifth of its kind- featured support for booster and supplemental doses in addition to recommendations regarding the timing of the injection as well as immunomodulatory medication use. Revisions were also made regarding pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis with monoclonal antibody treatment, which are still supported by the guidance despite some limitations being issued by the US Food and Drug Administration. In a statement made on the day of the announcement, Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH, Chair of the ACR COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance Task Force, said that “There is now more nuance with supplemental and booster dose recommendations that should prompt us to ask patients not only whether they have been vaccinated, but with what, how many times, and how recently.” Curtis recently sat down with HCPLive to speak of the main updates included in the newest version of the guidance and the implications of these changes for patients with rheumatic disease.