UPDATED 22 September 2021

Arthritis New Zealand is aware of queries about COVID-19 vaccination from people with inflammatory arthritis. We have conferred with our Medical Advisor and the President of the New Zealand Rheumatology Association (NZRA) and our advice is that 

• Covid-19 vaccination can be given safely to patients with arthritis on disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and is strongly recommended by the NZRA and Arthritis New Zealand.  

• No modifications to either immunomodulatory therapy or vaccination timing are required. There are some minor changes that are recommended related to the timing of a few medications (e.g., methotrexate and rituximab), to increase the effectiveness of the vaccine, rather than due to concerns about safety. These can be discussed with your rheumatology team.  

• If you have concerns about your specific circumstances, once again discuss these with your rheumatology team

For any questions regarding this statement, please phone us at 0800 663 463 or email info@arthritis.org.nz.

Read previous statements about COVID-19 here.