Enbrel and COVID 19

[jujubee43]

Hello, I've been taking Enbrel for 3 years now. My doctor told me that I was in (medicated) remission at my last visit. My symptoms were very minimal if at all. Since then I have slowly moved my shots to every 15 days instead of every 7 days. My symptoms have started to come back and I feel exhausted and as though I have had a flare. So, I have moved my shots back to every 7 days again. My concern now is being at risk for catching COVID 19 because Enbrel suppresses the immune system. Has anyone heard or read of any reports indicating that persons using Enbrel or Humera or any other similar drugs and have contacted COVID 19 and has extreme difficulties or perhaps even died?

[Barrister]

I was told that if I develop symptoms of Covid19, to stop my injections of methotrexate and enbrel until recovered, the same as we do if we get any infections. I believe that I do, I fact have a mild case of Covid19 at the moment and so haven’t taken either injection this week.

[helixhelix]

All the very clear advice is to keep taking your medication unless you have symptoms of the virus. If you flare that can make you more vulnerable to catching it. Anyway, Enbrel has the shortest half life of any of the biologics so will clear your body quickly if you do need to stop.

As yet there is no data on whether or not RA is an underlying condition that could make Covid worse, or whether the drugs increases risks should you catch it. The immune suppressing effects of them are not in the same range as for cancer patients, and indeed one biologic drug is being trialed on COVID to see it it helps.

There is one person on here who has had the virus, and is now recovering.

Concentrate on not catching it and staying well.