Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and coronavirus
Update 09/2020: All consultations will go ahead as planned. For questions, please contact the secretariat of the digestive centre or the IMID nurse Inge Huys.
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The Gastrointestinal and Liver Outpatients Clinic receives many questions from patients with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis who use anti-inflammatory medications. Some of these medicines have the side effect of reduced immunity. Preventing infection is therefore the first priority.
Avoid contact with other people who cough, have a cold or have a fever. Avoid crowded environments or social events unless absolutely necessary. Follow the advice on https://www.health.belgium.be/nl.
- Regularly wash your hands with water and soap
- Cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow
- Use paper tissues and throw these away immediately after use
- Do not shake hands
- Stay at home if you have cold symptoms
For patients using anti-inflammatory medication the following advice applies:
- Infliximab (Remsima, Remicade IV): continue to use
- Adalumimab (Humira, Hyrimoz, Amgevita, Imraldi SC): continue to use
- Golimumab (Simponi): continue to use
- Prednisolone or Medrol: Consult your attending physician if you can reduce the dose faster
- Methotrexate or Ledertrexate (Metoject): continue to use
- Mercaptopurine (Purinethol): continue to use
- Azathioprine (Azafalk, Imuran): continue to use
- Vedolizumab (Entyvio): continue to use
- Ustekinumab (Stelara): continue to use
- Tofacitinib (Xeljanz): continue to use
In case of fever or serious symptoms, please contact your GP.
If in doubt, contact IMID Nurse Inge Huys.
This information is based on current data and may be adjusted depending on developments relating to the coronavirus.
2 September 2020