A vaccination update for rheumatologists-SARS-CoV-2, influenza and herpes zoster.

Vaccination is currently at the forefront of everyone's mind. The SARS‐CoV‐2/COVID‐19 pandemic has resulted in enormous changes to the way we practice rheumatology.1 The number of worldwide cases, deaths and long‐term health and economic impact from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has been sobering. With many countries in lockdown or other forms of societal restrictions, widespread vaccination is critical at protecting people and combating the pandemic. This paper will summarize the currently available evidence regarding SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) with a focus on vaccine options in the Asia‐Pacific region. (We have included only peer‐reviewed publications and excluded conference abstracts or pre‐print manuscripts). The onset of influenza season in Australia with the widespread availability of adjuvant or high‐dose influenza vaccines makes this an opportune time to discuss influenza vaccination and its timing with SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination. The recent availability of a recombinant herpes zoster vaccine (RZV, or Shingrix®) in Australia with the concern provoked by administration of the live zoster vaccine (ZVL, or Zostavax®) to immunosuppressed AIIRD patients also means this is a fruitful topic for discussion. As there has been dialog regarding a “travel bubble” between Australia and Singapore, we have included a Singaporean perspective on these issues.