The COVID-19 vaccine cannot infect you with coronavirus. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson - are live vaccines. However, none of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S. That means it is a weakened form of the virus intended to cause a harmless infection that your immune system rapidly eliminates. This could theoretically occur with vaccines like the MMR vaccine for measles and mumps, which is a “live” vaccine. Many patients with autoimmune conditions who take medications that affect immune system function are concerned that certain vaccines could give them the virus. (Research is mixed and ongoing current data suggests coronavirus complications may have more to do with age, other comorbidities, and taking steroid medications than RA alone.) In fact, getting the vaccine when you have rheumatoid arthritis may be especially important, given the disease may put you at higher risk for COVID-19 or severe outcomes. Having rheumatoid arthritis is not a contraindication (a medical reason to avoid) the vaccine. Is It Safe to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine with Rheumatoid Arthritis? Here’s everything you need to know about getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you have rheumatoid arthritis. While getting the vaccine would ideally occur in the setting of well-controlled disease, you should get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible regardless of disease activity and severity, with the exception of extreme cases - say, in the intensive care unit. In fact, guidance from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) states that autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic disease patients (AIIRD) should receive the vaccine when they’re eligible. Here’s the bottom line: Especially if you have rheumatoid arthritis, most rheumatologists and public health experts recommend you get the COVID-19 vaccine.

If you live with rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory and autoimmune form of arthritis, you may understandably have many questions and concerns about getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

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