Covid vaccine & immunosuppresing medication

[Sadik]

My dad is 86 & so could potentially be reasonably early in line for vaccination. He thinks though that because he takes immune suppressing medication for rheumatoid arthritis, that he won't be appropriate for the 2 vaccines likely to come through earliest & he'd have to wait for the Oxford/Astrazeneca one.

I've been reading the various information on the arthritis foundation page & I think that's not the case, & it's only a live vaccine that would be a problem (which the Pfizer vaccine isn't).

Any medics who know more? Dad is a very active 86 and is very keen to be safely able to get out and about more!!

As far as I know none of the vaccines are live, so he will be fine to have one when offered.

I'm sure they will check before he is given it that it is suitable for him. Try not to worry.

Oh for sure, its not that he's worrying about being given it wrongly, he's just being a bit down about having to wait longer than might otherwise be the case. His GPs are very good, I don't think he has any concerns about being offered something inappropriate.

There's been a thread about it the other day. Consensus was we're unsure.

Thanks Ophelias - I've found the threads now. I guess he'll just have to wait & see.

Unfortunately the rest of us in the family will be way down the list, as even if we could be vaccinated that would be helpful (dd is in FE college & worries about bringing it back home - we distance as much as possible but dad's partially sighted so does often need help with things.)

Reading with interest, as I'm on a biologic for RA. I'm not allowed any live vaccines either, but there are a couple of non-live ones I can't have too (I'd have to look up what they are), as I've been told it could cause an adverse reaction.

I'm sure over the coming months, things will become more clear on this.

My mum has rheumatoid arthritis and on humira so can't have live vaccines. My son is on infliximab [ another biologic ], and also can't have live vaccines.
My understanding is that none of the vaccines for covid being tested are live, so will be safe to have for anyone who are immunosuppressed.

I am also immunosppressed and my medical team have told me the Pfizer one isn't live and will be fine to have (although all vaccines aren't as effective in immunosppressed people as they do use the immune system to work, but they are better than nothing!)

DH is on humira and has the flu vaccine....

Dad also has the flu vaccine every year (he's on steroids and methotrexate).