No. Do not change your medication without consulting your doctor.

Although taking immunosuppressant medication can make your more at risk of catching an infection, you have been given medication to manage your sarcoidosis. It is important you continue to take that medication to ensure you are as healthy as possible. 

Anyone with sarcoidosis should speak to their doctor before taking any supplements. 

If you have sarcoidosis there is an increased chance you would experience side effects from taking vitamin D supplements. It is essential that you have your vitamin D level measured before you start any supplements, and that these levels are monitored whilst you remain on therapy (usually with a blood test two months after starting therapy).

Find more information on sarcoidosis and vitamin D here.

If you contract, or suspect you have contracted, the virus, you can seek advice from NHS 111 online.

If you are eligible for COVID-19 treatments and you have symptoms, you should take an LFD test immediately, even if your symptoms are mild. If your test is positive, call your GP surgery, NHS 111 or hospital specialist as soon as possible. If your test is negative, but you still have symptoms, you need to do a total of 3 rapid lateral flow tests over 3 days. If any of those tests are positive, you can stop testing and call your GP, hospital specialist or NHS 111.

Find out more here.

You will not be able to choose which of the vaccines you have, but you can be assured that all of the approved vaccines are highly effective.

You should continue to take your medication. Do not change your medication without consulting your doctor.

You will be contacted by the NHS when it is your turn to be vaccinated.

Your specialist will assess whether you need additional vaccines. They will make a referral and advise on the best timing for vaccination around your planned treatment. Speak to your specialist for more information. Find out more on the NHS website.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice for the autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme. Not everyone with sarcoidosis will be eligible for the latest COVID boosters as they have tightened restrictions. Please check with your GP and pharmacist prior to booking a vaccine to avoid being turned away when you get there.

For autumn 2025, COVID-19 vaccination will be offered to:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in care homes for older adults
• individuals who are immunosuppressed aged 6 months and over

This represents a change from the autumn 2024 programme, which also included adults aged 65 to 74 and all those aged 6 months and over in a clinical risk group.

Having a weakened immune system (immunosuppression) is a lot less straight forward than the other criteria. People might see themselves (and be considered by others) as immunosuppressed but might not fit the immunosuppression criteria for vaccination. Some of these groups are:

• Organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant patients
• Those being treated with systemic steroids for more than a month
• Those living with HIV
• Those receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy, including children who are about to receive therapy
• Those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Those requiring long-term treatment for immunosuppression
• Those with a history of haematological malignancy including chronic leukaemia, lymphomas, and leukaemia
• Those with genetic disorders affecting the immune system

Click here to find out more.

Most side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are mild and should not last longer than a week, such as:

• a sore arm where the needle went in
• feeling tired
• a headache
• feeling achy
• feeling or being sick

You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol, if you need to.

You shouldn’t have the vaccines if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine.

Tell healthcare staff before you are vaccinated if you’ve ever had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

For advice specific to your own condition, you should speak to your GP who will have access to your medical history and be able to advise you.

If you have had a confirmed case of COVID-19, wait at least 4 weeks (after your symptoms end or after a positive test if you are asymptomatic) before having the vaccine.

The vaccines have been assessed in different racial groups and there is no biological reason that the COVID-19 vaccines would behave differently according to ethnicity or race.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised that having a vaccine is as important for people who have had coronavirus as it is for people who have not. However, if you have had COVID-19, you should wait until at least 4 weeks after you had symptoms, or 4 weeks since your positive test if you didn’t have any symptoms, before having the vaccine.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that pregnant women should be offered COVID-19 vaccines at the same time as people of the same age or risk group.

Anyone who has already started vaccination and is offered a second dose whilst pregnant, should have a second dose with the same vaccine unless they had a serious side effect after the first dose.

You can find more advice on COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy here.

Not outside clinical trials.

In June 2023, the responsibility for the delivery of COVID-19 post-exposure treatments was passed to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) so local arrangements may vary. If you were identified as being eligible for assessment for COVID-19 treatments, you should have been contacted by the NHS to make you aware of this. If you are unsure, you should call 119 or contact your GP.

Find out more here.

If you think you are eligible to access COVID-19 treatment, the NHS recommends you follow these steps to be considered for a referral:

1. Keep rapid lateral flow tests at home

If you’re eligible for COVID-19 treatment, you should keep rapid lateral flow tests at home.

You may be able to pick up free rapid lateral flow test kits from your local pharmacy if you’re eligible for COVID-19 treatment.

Your local integrated care board (ICB) may be able to give you more information on where you can collect free tests.

2. Take a rapid lateral flow test if you get symptoms

If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, take a rapid lateral flow test as soon as possible, even if your symptoms are mild. Only take a test if you have symptoms.

You can also use tests you’ve paid for, for example, a test you’ve bought from a supermarket or pharmacy.

3. If your test is positive, call your GP surgery, NHS 111 or hospital specialist

Call your GP surgery, NHS 111 or hospital specialist as soon as possible if your test result is positive.

They’ll decide if you need a referral for an assessment for COVID-19 treatment or may carry out the assessment themselves.

As part of the assessment, you may be asked what other medicines you take or receive, including any vitamins and minerals, so it’s important to have a list of these ready.

If you’re eligible for treatment, it’s important to start the treatment as soon as you can. Treatments for COVID-19 need to be given quickly after your symptoms start to be effective.

4. If your test is negative, do a total of 3 tests over 3 days

If your test result is negative, but you still have symptoms of COVID-19, you need to do a total of 3 rapid lateral flow tests over 3 days.

For example, if you did your first test today, you should do a 2nd test tomorrow and a 3rd test the day after.

If any test result is positive, you can stop testing and call your GP surgery, NHS 111 or hospital specialist as soon as possible

Yes. The new treatments are antiviral medications so they should be used for every COVID infection. In theory it should be unlikely for you to have another infection in the next 3 months though.

SarcoidosisUK run a Nurse Helpline offering advice and guidance on sarcoidosis. For more information and to sign up for a call please visit our Helpline webpage. 

SarcoidosisUK operate a network of support groups across the UK. To find your local group, please visit our Support Group webpage. 

SarcoidosisUK host a Facebook group offering peer support for anyone affected by sarcoidosis. You can request to join the Facebook group here. 

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For the latest information from the NHS see here. 

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If your question is not answered by these FAQs, please submit it using the form below. If your query is urgent, please get in touch with SarcoidosisUK.