Advice from UKIVAS
Some vasculitis patients who are taking immunosuppressive medications are considered to be at ‘high’ risk (or extremely vulnerable), were they to catch the virus. Whilst all vasculitis patients should follow social distancing there will be a need for most taking immunosuppressant drugs to follow stricter social distancing guidelines and stay at home and not go out for shopping and not go to work.
Hospital Departments are working to identify and contact these patients so that their own GPs are aware. However, you do not need to wait to be contacted – if you think you are in one of the high-risk groups then you should stay at home. Please contact your consult your lead consultant and ask for a letter to confirm you are in the “high risk group” .
It may still be necessary to attend for hospital visits or vasculitis treatment, and you should be guided by your local vasculitis team/consultant in these cases.
We strongly encourage all patients diagnosed with Vasculitis to keep in touch with their Vasculitis Consultants and Care Team and follow the most current Government and NHS advice.
Unless advised otherwise by your local vasculitis team, it is important you continue all your immunosuppressant medications because the health risk associated with a flare of your disease is likely to be greater than the risks associated with COVID-19.