COVID vaccination after rituximab

[Sankster]

I have a COVID vaccination booked for tomorrow but am not certain whether to go ahead. I have recently received two 1mg doses of rituximab and am aware that vaccinations should be avoided close to receiving rituximab.

I haven’t been able to get a response from the hospital where I’m treated.

Does anyone have any advice if I should go ahead or cancel?

[DorsetLady]

This is one of many related posts on the subject -

healthunlocked.com/vasculit...

Would suggest you cancel tomorrow’s booking until you get clarification from your medial team

[PMRpro]

acrjournals.onlinelibrary.w...

Have you had Covid jabs BEFORE you started the rituximab, i.e. from the start of the vaccinations? If so, you will probably already have a degree of immunity and the vaccine now will possibly improve it. It isn't that it is dangerous - it is that the development of the immune response will be damped.

[Dazler99]

I would definitely cancel.

I contacted my Rheumatologist recently regarding a Covid jab and was advised that I should have the jab 4 to 6 weeks before the Rituximab infusion or 5 months afterwards.

[Sankster]

Thank you for your comments.

My takeaway is that I may as well go ahead in that the COVID vaccine may be less effective for me right now but it shouldn’t be harmful.

[Investigator1]

Hi Sankster. All I can do is relate to my own experiences and what I was told by my Consultant. I had just had my 12th Covid jab (7 x Pfizer and 5x Moderna) so on average about every 4-5 months since Feb21. I have been told not to have my jab any closer than 3 weeks before my Rituximab and 6 weeks after, this was explained to me as “only because the vaccine will be dampened down” I have had no side effects during the past 4 years. I recently got the results from the Stravinsky trial that I took part in (testing vaccine response v Immune compromised) and although I was told I had a very low antibody count the vaccine was still well worth having because I would still have a good immunity because of T cell contributions. Proven by the fact I got through Covid without any Antiviral or Monoclonal Antibodies. There you go. Nick.

[Chocolate78]

I have my covid jab booked for next week. I was advised to wait 8 weeks after my last Rituximab infusion. If you have the vaccine before this stage it won't be effective as the Rituximab will impact how your immune system response. As covid vaccines can have side effects I won't have it unless I knew it would be effective