At an ACR COVID-19 town hall on COVID-19, infectious disease experts discussed the most up-to-datecurrent information on pre- and post-exposure monoclonal antibody therapy, oral antivirals and vaccines for rheumatology patients.
Live Varicella Zoster Vaccine Safe, Effective with TNF Inhibitors
(Reuters Health)—Adults 50 years and older who take tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi’s) for a range of inflammatory disorders can receive effective protection from shingles with a live varicella zoster vaccine, a clinical trial suggests.1 Researchers randomized 617 participants receiving TNFi’s in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the Zostavax live varicella zoster vaccine or…
NIH Starts Study of COVID-19 Booster Shot in People with Autoimmune Diseases
(Reuters)—The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is testing a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines in people with autoimmune diseases who have not responded well to the primary vaccine course. The mid-stage study will be conducted among about 600 participants aged 18 and above who have been fully vaccinated with shots from either Pfizer Inc.,…
U.S. to Announce New Warning on J&J Coronavirus Vaccine for Guillain-Barré Syndrome
(Reuters)—The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to announce a new warning on Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J’s) coronavirus vaccine related to a rare autoimmune disorder, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing four people familiar with the matter.1 According to The Post, about 100 preliminary reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been detected in the…
Patients with Rheumatic Disease May Experience Flares after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
(Reuters Health)—Among a group of New York patients with rheumatic diseases who received a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, nearly one in six experienced disease flares after getting their shots, a new study finds.1 A survey of more than 1,100 patients who had received at least one vaccine dose revealed that 14.9% experienced flares. Among the 654 who…
Researchers Explore Response to COVID-19 Vaccines in the Elderly
A delayed second dose of an mRNA vaccine may provide better protection against COVID-19 in elderly patients.
Vaccine Hesitancy: Wariness Is Rare, But There’s a Wider Worry About COVID Vaccines’ Efficacy in Some Populations
Hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccination persists nationwide, although it varies among regions and sociodemographic groups.
More Info on the J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Thrombosis Scare
More than 7 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine have been administered in the U.S.1 On Apr. 23, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommended lifting the recommended pause on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine use following a thorough safety review. 2…
The ACR Addresses Vaccine Challenges
An ACR COVID-19 Vaccine task force examined vaccine data and literature to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy and interaction with medications for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, and to craft a living guidance document for members.
COVID-19 Immunization Day: It Won’t Be Long Before We Can Hug Again
A young man sits down at my COVID-19 immunization station at Maine Medical Center and stares resolutely ahead, focusing on the far wall. He looks nervous. I make sure the needle and syringe are outside his field of vision. That should help. I pick up a Band-Aid from my box of supplies. It’s a Band-Aid…