HIV and Opportunistic Infections, Coinfections, and Conditions

HIV and COVID-19

Last Reviewed: December 4, 2025

Key Points

  • Although anyone can get COVID-19, people with HIV who also have an underlying condition or comorbidity are more likely to get severely sick.
  • COVID-19 vaccines reduce the likelihood of experiencing severe illness and are safe and effective for people with HIV. You should speak with your health care provider to determine if the COVID-19 vaccine is right for you.
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, contact your health care provider to discuss treatment options. COVID-19 treatment is most effective if started within five to seven days of showing symptoms.

 

What do you need to know about COVID-19 if you have HIV?

HIV weakens the immune system, making the body more susceptible to other infections and diseases, known as comorbidities. Certain comorbidities can cause people with HIV to become severely ill if they get COVID-19, especially if they have advanced or untreated HIV. Examples of diseases and conditions that can increase severe illness from COVID-19 include:

  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure or coronary artery disease
  • Immune suppression from cancer or solid organ transplant
  • Mental health disorders, such as depression
  • Overweight or obesity
  • Pregnancy

In addition to diseases and conditions, severe illness from COVID-19 is also more likely with behavioral factors such as:

  • Physical inactivity
  • Smoking
  • Substance abuse

See People With Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a list of medical conditions and behaviors that can increase your likelihood of becoming severely ill.

The more comorbidities a person has, the more likely it is that they will become very sick, be hospitalized, need intensive care, require a ventilator to breathe, or die from COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to take action to prevent getting COVID-19.

How is COVID-19 spread, and what can you do to protect yourself if you have HIV?

The virus that causes COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spreads when a person with SARS-CoV-2 exhales respiratory droplets or particles that contain the virus. When these particles are inhaled or come into contact with another person, COVID-19 can be spread. COVID-19 can be spread even if a person does not have symptoms of the illness.

Everyone, including people with HIV, should follow the general CDC protocols on how to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. People with HIV can also take the following steps to reduce the likelihood of experiencing severe illness from COVID-19:

  • Take HIV medicines exactly as prescribed. People with HIV who are not receiving HIV treatment or who have a low CD4 T lymphocyte count are more likely to experience severe illness from COVID-19. Taking your HIV medicine as prescribed will help your immune system recover and produce cells that can help fight off infections like COVID-19. If you have difficulty following your HIV treatment regimen, talk to your health care provider.
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some comorbidities, like obesity or diabetes, can be prevented or managed by living a healthy lifestyle. Stay healthy by eating healthful foods, exercising consistently, taking medicines as prescribed, and avoiding smoking and excessive drinking.
  • Discuss vaccination with a health care provider. Four COVID-19 vaccines are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although vaccinated people can still get COVID-19, they are less likely to experience severe illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for people with HIV?

COVID-19 vaccines are safe for people with HIV. People with HIV were included in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. COVID-19 vaccines meet the FDA’s standards of safety, effectiveness, and quality.

CDC suggests that some people with HIV may benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine with guidance from a health care provider. Some adults may benefit from an additional dose based on their age or health.

Although protection from a COVID-19 vaccine decreases over time, the vaccines are updated regularly to remain effective. People with HIV who received a COVID-19 vaccine previously may benefit from getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine to stay protected.

According to CDC, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines interfere with medicines that prevent or treat HIV. This means that people with HIV can get the COVID-19 vaccine, and their HIV treatment regimen should continue to work effectively without any major side effects.

What should you do if you think you might have COVID-19?

If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, you should try to avoid contact with other people and should get tested promptly. A person can have COVID-19 but show few symptoms or no symptoms at all (also known as asymptomatic infection). Testing is the only way to know if someone has COVID-19.

Most health care providers offer COVID-19 testing. You can also get tested for COVID-19 in the following ways:

  • At-home testing with a rapid test kit, available at pharmacies and other locations
  • Scheduling an appointment at a pharmacy or medical clinic
  • Drive-thru testing at some pharmacies

Visit the CDC website for more information about self-testing, and visit your state or local health department’s website for information on additional testing sites.

What is the treatment for COVID-19?

Drugs that are FDA-approved or authorized for the treatment of COVID-19 are available for people with HIV; however, some of these approved drugs may interact with certain HIV medicines.

If you have HIV and test positive for COVID-19, contact your health care provider to tell them what HIV medicines you are taking and discuss treatment options. COVID-19 treatment is most effective if started within five to seven days of when symptoms start.

After starting COVID-19 treatment, do not stop taking HIV medicines. It is important to continue taking HIV medicines as prescribed to prevent HIV from weakening the immune system and reduce the likelihood of developing severe illness from COVID-19.

This fact sheet is based on information from the following sources:

From CDC:

From FDA:

From the HIV Clinical Practice Guidelines at Clinicalinfo.HIV.gov:

From the National Institutes of Health:

Also see the HIV Source collection of HIV links and resources.