Lupus LA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of our lupus community. As such, we want to share the following guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) about COVID-19 for healthcare providers caring for people with rheumatic diseases. The compromised immune systems of these patients can make them more prone to infections.

Please observe the following as they relate to lupus patients:

• The disease may be more severe in older individuals and especially those with comorbidities.
• There are no data on the rate and severity of infection in patients with rheumatologic disease, or on immunosuppressive medicines.
• All patients should talk to their physician before altering any of their medications.
• Patients should be sure to get all appropriate vaccinations to help prevent secondary infections.
• Patients should keep a supply (e.g., one-month) of their medications on hand.
• The ACR advises that patients follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about hand hygiene and avoiding people who are ill.
• According to information published in the highly respected Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA pointed out that the risk of COVID-19 is far lower than the flu.

As the situation progresses, our team will continue to monitor and share new information from leading experts to keep our community informed.

Team Lupus LA