COVID-19 Advice for People with Inflammatory Arthritis and Related Autoimmune Diseases 29 Apr 2022

The NZ Rheumatology Association has produced an official statement on whether to continue immunosuppressants during symptomatic Covid infection -

The NZ Rheumatology Association has produced an official statement on whether to continue immunosuppressants during symptomatic Covid infection -
 
The New Zealand Ministry of Health provides advice for all New Zealanders about how to look after yourself while you have COVID-19.

Oral DMARDs and biologics (but not prednisone) should be withheld until recovery from COVID-19 infection, if rheumatic disease activity and severity allows.

Anti-viral therapies such as Paxlovid are now funded for those people who were eligible for the third primary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine who have COVID-19 infection. Most people who are on DMARD therapy are eligible for this treatment, which should be initiated as early as possible and within five days of symptom onset.
There are important drug-drug interactions between Paxlovid and medications used in rheumatology care, including cyclosporin, tacrolimus, colchicine, upadacitinib, sildenafil, and prednisone.

For some people on high doses of immunosuppression, particularly rituximab, prolonged COVID-19 infection may occur. The care of these people should be discussed with a specialist infectious diseases team, as longer periods of isolation and additional testing may be needed in this situation.

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