Great question! For people living with RA, staying up to date on vaccines is especially important since RA and its treatments can affect the immune system. The COVID-19 vaccine is strongly recommended by both the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the CDC.
There are three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the Show Full Answer
Great question! For people living with RA, staying up to date on vaccines is especially important since RA and its treatments can affect the immune system. The COVID-19 vaccine is strongly recommended by both the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the CDC.
There are three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the U.S.:
- Pfizer (mRNA vaccine)
- Moderna (mRNA vaccine)
- Novavax (protein-based vaccine)
All three are considered safe and effective for people who are immunocompromised. For most people, COVID-19 vaccines are given annually in fall or winter — similar to the flu shot. However, if you have RA, your doctor may recommend boosters more frequently, so it's worth checking in with your rheumatologist about timing.
One important note: certain RA medications may reduce how well the vaccine works. The ACR recommends temporarily adjusting the timing of some medications around vaccination, including:
- Methotrexate – hold for one week after each dose
- JAK inhibitors (e.g., Rinvoq, Xeljanz) – hold for one week after each dose
- Rituximab (Rituxan) – get first dose four weeks before an infusion, then hold two to four weeks after the second dose
- Abatacept (Orencia) injections – hold one week before and one week after the first dose only
- Cyclophosphamide – schedule infusions one week after each vaccine dose
Always talk to your rheumatologist before making any changes to your medication schedule.
2 days ago
Join
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Your Privacy Choices
