Key takeaways: Patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease had increased persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen positivity after infection. Mitigation strategies should include early antiviral treatment in high-risk individuals. Patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease demonstrate an increased persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen positivity up to 6 months after COVID-19 infection, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.