Recommendations regarding COVID-19 Vaccines
Date: 04.01.2021
PRES wishes to share its recommendations regarding the vaccination of young people with rheumatic diseases against COVID-19
- The risk and morbidity of acquiring COVID-19 is relatively similar among healthy children and those with rheumatic diseases.
- The new COVID -19 vaccines are approved by various health authorities for patients 16 years of age and older, and are recommended for pediatric rheumatic patients above those ages.
- It is recommended to vaccinate patients 16 years of age and older with low disease activity or those in remission, who are treated with methotrexate and biologic therapies.
- It is advised to consult your pediatric rheumatologist in order to assess your disease activity and medications before making a decision regarding vaccination.
- It is important to establish registries regarding the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines for patients with pediatric rheumatic diseases.
- It remains important to be vaccinated against influenza; however, the influenza vaccine should not be given together (best 2 weeks apart) from the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Vaccine will most likely protect the patient from getting severe course of COVID-19, but it is still possible that vaccinated person could carry the virus and be contagious to others. Therefore, vaccinated patients should still be wearing masks and practicing physical distancing.
