Prophylaxis for Covid for severely immunosuppressed: Evusheld approved by NICE

[PMRpro]

The awesome Paul Howard at LupusUK has just posted this about NICE having approved this - but that IS all that is known so far.

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

There are a few people it would apply to on the forum I think

[SheffieldJane]

Truly exciting news!

[MrsNails]

Added to The Covid Post on FAQ’s

[GinnyMa]

I have GPA and live in USA., and have been approved for this drug. Today i get my injection of Evusheld! Thankful…

[Main1234]

Are you able to post on the vasculitis site as well? Some more good news, we are certainly in a better place than this time last year

[MrsNails in reply to Main1234]

You can copy the link & share it with your sit me & acknowledge where you’ve share it from…..

[Mojobumble]

Great news! How does this differ from the Novavax do you know?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mojobumble]

It isn't a vaccine. It is a prophylactic (prevention), does a different thing. It is ready antibodies so the body doesn't need to produce its own in response to a vaccine.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tixag...

[Mojobumble]

Thanks for that PMRpro 👍

[bright-horizon]

This is exciting news, though inevitably it is likely to be a long time before it is available in New Zealand. My ongoing question is, how do we find out our level of immune response after vaccination?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to bright-horizon]

You can have it tested but there isn't a lot of point because they have no correlations between the numbers and actual immunity - it is a very complex thing.

[Chewy21]

This is great news. Question for me now is this, I was due for my booster (4th jab) next week but was considering cancelling because I had a flare with one and don't want to risk another one right now. Should I wait for this instead?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Chewy21]

It isn't going to be widely available yet and I doubt we will be first in line for it - we are not severely immunosuppressed, really not the same as post-organ transplant medication or acquired or congenital immunodeficiencies.

[Chewy21 in reply to PMRpro]

I see I thought with all the positive responses it was for us I should have read the whole article properly. I still would rather wait a bit longer for my booster as I had covid in October and had my third vaccine in December so I would prefer to wait a couple of months more before my booster.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Chewy21]

You have effectively had an extra jab. I have had 3, no more offered. They have suggested that a combination of an infection and the vaccines is the best cover you can develop. But it doesn't post a sign telling you ...

[Carrollee in reply to Chewy21]

I don’t blame you chewy. I had booster (3rd jab) middle of December and wasn’t over it when I got covid in January . Still have post covid symptoms. Booster booked for Wednesday but going to cancel as don’t think my system can take much more. 😳

[Chewy21 in reply to Carrollee]

Are you not having it or just postponing it? I just don't want to risk another flare right now while I'm already struggling to taper.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Carrollee]

That is crackers - they are being quite reticent about more boosters here because of the possibility of actually subduing the immune response, They are being kept for the elderly and severely immunocompromised where it has been demonstrated the immunity falls sooner but even so it is after 4 to 5 months. That is over 75 and on more than 25-30mg pred or certain other medications. Plus Covid is the same as another booster - a superior one really as the best protection seems to be achieved by 3 jabs plus an omicron infection.

[Hacey]

I am such an idiot sometimes. I thought this was about prophylactics = contraception! Time for a coffee…

[calicojoy41]

I got my shot on Monday and woke up Tuesday after sleeping 9 hours feeling great with my sense of smell and taste back!!! I am loving having my feelings of having my pre PMR body back. I am on 15 mg a day and will start to taper 1 mg a month tomorrow, as I was having daily flares daily before the shot of Evusheld.