Updated COVID-19 Shot Beneficial for Those With Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease

MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease, the odds of COVID-19-related hospitalizations are reduced among those who receive an updated or booster COVID-19 vaccine versus those who receive the initial series alone or are unvaccinated, according to a study published online Sept. 9 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Lesley E. Jackson, M.D., from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative data on adults with autoimmune rheumatic conditions and incident COVID-19 to examine the association between COVID-19 vaccination status and COVID-19 outcomes.

The cohort included 60,980 patients with rheumatic conditions (median age, 62 years); 10 percent had received an updated (2023 to 2024) COVID-19 vaccine. The researchers observed a progressive decrease in the adjusted odds of COVID-19-related hospitalization in association with vaccination versus no vaccination (adjusted odds ratios, 0.59, 0.29, and 0.31 for initial series, boosted series, and updated series, respectively). The absolute risk reduction was 5.6 percent among patients who had received only the initial vaccine series versus a booster/updated vaccine.

“These results underscore the need for continued efforts by clinicians, policymakers, and patient advocacy groups to help ensure that these patients remain current with updated COVID-19 vaccines,” Jackson said in a statement.

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