Can I get vaccinated against covid for rheumatoid arthritis?

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Rheumatoid arthritis is a connective tissue disorder that leads to the destruction of symmetrical joints. The peculiarity is that in this disease, the immune system produces antibodies against healthy cells and tissues of its own body. This raises a natural question: is it possible to be vaccinated against coronavirus with rheumatoid arthritis?

Contraindications and obstacles

The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the variety of types and its negative symptoms did not make its nature clearer for doctors:

1. All hypotheses about the origin of the disease are still at the level of assumptions.
2. Based on research, it was possible to identify its hereditary, infectious and immune etiology.
3. The so-called rheumatological triad contains too many assumptions and assumptions about which infections can act as a trigger, and what exactly becomes a trigger factor.
4. The use of antibiotics, according to scientists, indicates that the origin of RA is unlikely to be associated with the appearance of a pathogen. But the reason for the appearance of immune complexes deposited in tissues is most likely associated with a pathology of the immune system.

The regularity of the question of whether it is possible to be vaccinated against coronavirus in rheumatoid arthritis is due to the list of contraindications in the annotations of anticancer vaccinations. According to scientists, it is impossible to do immunizing injections for autoimmune pathologies that require permanent intake of drugs that cause or maintain immunosuppression in the body.

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Alternative point of view

Scientists from Harvard Medical School published a review material, which expresses a slightly different point of view on the problem of whether it is possible to get the coronavirus vaccine for rheumatoid arthritis. They point to the short life span of patients with such a pathology and associate it with severe cardiovascular diseases, as well as with a more severe course of infectious diseases in an organism weakened by chronic pathology.

Scientists conducted a study that revealed why such people are not vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcus. In the body of people with rheumatoid arthritis, the immune function is reduced, there are numerous disorders of the vascular system, they carry infections much more heavily than healthy people.

Therefore, vaccination is practically the only chance of survival. Despite the lack of data on the effectiveness of vaccinations against COVID-19 in this particular situation, scientists are confident that vaccination is justified, but under certain important conditions.

What to consider when vaccinating

The degree of immunosuppression does not matter if a so-called dead vaccine is used for the injection. In this respect, the Russian drugs "Sputnik-V" and "EpiVacCorona" (a vaccine from the Novosibirsk "Vector") are perfect. They are modeled on viral segments and contain artificially generated fragments.

1. It is necessary to build a vaccination schedule so that the second injection is carried out 14 weeks before the start of taking immunosuppressants.
2. The use of a "live" vaccine is also possible, but a month before massive therapy, which is used to improve the quality of life and alleviate the suffering of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Objections to the use of a "dead" vaccine can also be found in medical sources. Doctors are of the opinion that stopping immunosuppressive therapy may exacerbate RA.
4. A "live" vaccine is out of the question, since a longer break is needed, which means an increased risk of developing an attack.

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There are other arguments against vaccination, for example, the need for permanent drug intake, which can lead to incompatibility of immunization and suppression of the activity of the immune system.

The result of the analysis can be summed up in a few short recommendations:

1. Select an inactivated vaccine.
2. Consult a rheumatologist.
3. Wait for the period of remission (in the acute period, vaccination is out of the question).
4. Wait a certain amount of time after completing the course and before its new appointment.

There may be individual contraindications to the vaccination, so it is especially important to first consult with a doctor who is thoroughly familiar with the medical history.

Outcomes

Vaccination for this disease is not prohibited, provided that inactivated vaccines are used. Despite taking immunosuppressants, doctors admit an affirmative answer to the question of whether it is possible to be vaccinated against coronavirus for rheumatoid arthritis. The same opinion is shared by scientists from the medical school from Harvard.