Sulfasalazine: A risk factor for severe covid 19? The Lancet (Rheumatology) 15/03/2022

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation did not have the information requested.

Dear The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

With regards to the above, I would like to know why sulphasalazine is not considered to be sufficiently immunosuppressant to warrant additional covid 19 booster vaccinations and access to anti viral treatments if patients become ill with covid.

I was considered clinically extremely vulnerable in the past due to Rheumatoid Arthritis and other co-morbidities and initially thought that I would be eligible for anti viral treatments. However, on looking further it appears that only those on certain medications will receive these. As a result, I have continued sheilding and live a very restricted life, even more so since masks etc are no longer a legal requirement.

Yours faithfully,

Irene Boyle

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The JCVI Secretariat is dealing with a large volume of queries. Where a
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JCVI statements, advice, and press releases, relevant to COVID-19 (most
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·       Independent Report: JCVI interim advice on COVID-19 autumn 2022
booster programme (20 May 2022):
[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·       JCVI statement: COVID-19 vaccinations in 2022 (Spring Booster)(21
February 2022):
[5]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: JCVI advises a spring COVID-19 vaccine dose for the
most vulnerable (21 February 2022):
[6]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    JCVI statement: Vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old (16
February 2022):
[7]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: JCVI updates advice on vaccinations for 5 to 11 age
group (16 February 2022):
[8]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    JCVI statement: Adult COVID-19 booster programme and the Omicron
variant (7 January 2022):
[9]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI statement: COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people (22
December 2021):
[10]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: Pregnant women urged to come forward for COVID-19
vaccination, added to clinical risk group (16 December 2021):
[11]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pregn...

·    JCVI advice: Omicron variant (29 November 2021):
[12]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI advice: COVID-19 vaccination in people aged 16 to 17 years (15
November 2021):
[13]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI advice: Booster programme 40-49 years (15 November 2021):
[14]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI advice: Booster programme Winter 2021-2022 (14 September 2021):
[15]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: Vaccination of 12-15 year olds (3 September 2021):
[16]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Statement: Vaccination of 12-15 year olds (3 September 2021):
[17]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI advice: Third dose primary for severely immunosuppressed (1
September 2021):
[18]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: Vaccination of 16-17 year olds (4 August 2021):
[19]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Statement: Vaccination of young people aged 12-17 years (initially
published 19 July 2021, updated 4 August 2021)
[20]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Statement: Vaccination of young people aged 12-17 years (19 July
2021):
[21]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Interim statement: Potential COVID-19 booster programme (30 June
2021):
[22]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    News Story: JCVI advice to mitigate impact of Delta (B1.617.2)
variant (14 May 2021):
[23]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Statement: Use of Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine (7 May 2021):
[24]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy (16 April 2021):
[25]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Statement: Phase 2 COVID-19 vaccination (13 April 2021):
[26]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Letter from JCVI to Secretary of State: Adult household contacts of
immunocompromised (24 March 2021):
[27]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Letter from JCVI to Secretary of State: Further considerations of
Phase 1 (11 March 2021):
[28]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    News Story: JCVI issues interim advice on Phase 2 (26 February 2021):
[29]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Letter from JCVI to Secretary of State on COVID-19 vaccination in
people with learning disabilities (24 February 2021):
[30]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    News Story: JCVI advise inviting people on learning disability
register for vaccine (24 February 2021):
[31]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

·    Statement: Prioritising the first COVID-19 vaccine dose (26 January
2021):
[32]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    JCVI advice: Phase 1 COVID-19 vaccination advice (6 January 2021):
[33]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

·    Press Release: JCVI advice on Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine (30
December 2020):
[34]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-...

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33. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
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Information Rights,

OFFICIAL
Dear Irene Boyle,

Your request will be handled by the Information Rights Team at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). We acknowledge receipt of your email and request for information, which will be treated as a request for information under statutory access legislation. UKHSA has taken responsibility for statutory access requests addressed to Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace Services.

Please note that requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) will receive a response within 20 working days from the day following the date of receipt of your request.
If the request is for your personal data, your request will be handled as a data subject access request (SAR) under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), then we will respond within one month of the receipt of the request.

The UK Health Security Agency is heavily involved in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will aim to address all requests promptly and within the required response timeframes. However, when we are unable to meet the response timeframe we will keep requesters updated on a revised expected timescale for a response to their request. The Information Commissioner recognises this position in its recent guidance, see link: https://ico.org.uk/media/2617613/ico-reg...

Yours sincerely,

Information Rights Team
UK Health Security Agency
[email address]
www.gov.uk/ukhsa Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

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Information Rights,

2 Attachments

Dear Irene Boyle
Please find attached UKHSA's response to your request.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team
UK Health Security Agency
[1][email address
[2]www.gov.uk/ukhsa  Follow us on Twitter @UKHSA

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Irene Boyle <[FOI #878664 email]>
Sent: 14 July 2022 19:42
To: Jcvi <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Sulfasalazine: A risk factor for
severe covid 19? The Lancet (Rheumatology) 15/03/2022

Dear The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

With regards to the above, I would like to know why sulphasalazine is not
considered to be sufficiently immunosuppressant to warrant additional
covid 19 booster vaccinations and access to anti viral treatments if
patients become ill with covid.

I was considered clinically extremely vulnerable in the past due to
Rheumatoid Arthritis and other co-morbidities and initially thought that I
would be eligible for anti viral treatments. However, on looking further
it appears that only those on certain medications will receive these. As a
result, I have continued sheilding and live a very restricted life, even
more so since masks etc are no longer a legal requirement.

Yours faithfully,

Irene Boyle

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