Asthma patients are a group among those who are at high risk in the coronavirus pandemic or COVID-19. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) says asthmas patients must take precautions.
Reported by WebMD, it is very important to keep asthmas well controlled, so it is advisable to continue treatment. According to the ACAAI, there are no asthmas medications including corticosteroids and inhaled biologics that have been shown to increase the risk of COVID-19.
However, if someone infected with the virus, there is no information that asthmas medication will make the infection worse. ACAAI recommends contacting an allergist if patients with asthmas have questions, breathing difficulties or asthma symptoms become more severe.
Others at higher risk of COVID-19 include the elderly, and people with immune deficiency or other chronic conditions that weaken the immune system. For now, ACAAI recommends asthmas patients or those who may have immune deficiencies to continue treatment. Given that asthmas must be controlled properly, the nebulizer must be used and cleaned properly.
Covid-19 Advice:
So far, 80% of COVID-19 cases are mild and last for a limited time. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. ACAAI advises people to follow the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention such as staying at least 6 feet away from an ill person, do not touch the eyes, nose, or mouth, wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizers containing alcohol at least 60%.
Use a tissue to cover the cough and sneeze. Then immediately removes the tissue. Clean or disinfect objects and surfaces that often touched and if sick stay at home. On the other hand, asthmas specialists emphasize that patients must continue to use their preventive inhalers during this pandemic.
People with asthmas need their (preventative) steroids. Said Mitchell Grayson, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Michael Blaiss, MD, executive medical director of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), confirmed. “If a patient has asthma they must continue to use their preventive asthmas medication, which in most cases includes inhaled corticosteroids,” said Blaiss, who is also a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
Optimally controlled asthmas is the first weapon in the fight against infection. “The last thing we want is for patients to stop treating their asthma and become seriously ill,” said David Hill, MD, a lung and critical care specialist in Waterbury.
