Evusheld is not being recommended for immunocompromised people

[piglette]

Looks like NICE are still against Evushield.

medscape.co.uk/viewarticle/...

[Pixix]

I have a good friend, suffering from multiple myeloma who is still strictly shielding (at her consultant’s bidding) & wearing FFP3 masks for hospital visits. She gave me the info yesterday, she’s pretty upset by it all. Would it be appropriate for people suffering solely from PMR/GCA, please? I thought it would be just for extremely compromised folk! S x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pixix]

I don't see why it would be considered essential for us - here they don't consider you at risk even for needing the ordinary antiviral stuff unless you are at above 20mg pred.

[Pixix in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks, that’s what I thought. But wasn’t sure if I was right, as a lot of people seem to think they are! I get that GCA & 40mg would make you more susceptible to infection, though!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Pixix]

I think the messages are really confused/confusing. I'm on Actemra too - no-one here seems to consider it much of a problem and Christian my rheumy has worked with it a lot.

[Pixix in reply to PMRpro]

Seemed to me that, here, the measure at one point was 10mg pred…over it & you were vulnerable, but not vulnerable enough for Evushield, just able to get drugs if you caught Covid. But under 10mg a day you’re not vulnerable. I may have to think about methotrexate (not for PMR) soon, so became interested in the subject matter…again! I don’t know anybody who is taking Actemra, apart from you & other forum users. S x

[Poshcards]

I have been shielding for over 3 years now, only going to doctors for bloods etc and hospitals, fully masked and sitting in corners away from people, nobody comes into my home and I dont visit my family in theirs, something badly needs to be done to give us all our freedom back!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Poshcards]

I think you do have to consider which might be worse - having a false sense of security with something that wasn't as good as you thought. Are you severely immunocompromised? We never had shielding - even at the peak I had to go out to shop with everyone else, the choice was to starve.

[Poshcards in reply to PMRpro]

I was lucky to have a very careful cousin who lived 10 miles away who elected to bo our bubble. He has now moved up to Yorkshire, so now my hubby goes at 6.30 in morning fully masked xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Poshcards]

We never had shielding as such, my husband was seriously ill and all our family are in the UK - but I still haven't knowingly had Covid. Masks do work!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

There is research going on about people they think will NEVER get Covid due to some gene or other.

gavi.org/vaccineswork/genet...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Yes I know - and isn't blood group O also thought to be less likely?

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Unfortunately I'm not O neg ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I’m O+ so maybe that is positive news [sorry🤦🏻‍♀️]

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Oh ha - can see it will be one of those days

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Off to see family soon - so need to hone the ‘banter’ beforehand 🤔

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I am O+, never had Covid, never had ‘flu, never had indigestion… have had PMR!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

I have had flu - once, 20-odd years ago. Never want it again! The only thing that gives me anything approaching indigestion is medication in capsules! Doesn't matter what it is - need a LOT of water to get them down, everything else i can swallow without water.

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I wonder if we have the anti-Covid gene? I react so badly to the vaccine and I had loads of anti-bodies a year after the vaccine.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Would be nice wouldn't it! The vaccines weren't too bac except this last one - never had the antibodies measured.