What Asthma Sufferers Should Know About COVID-19

There are approximately 2.5 million people in the United States living with asthma, and according to Newsweek, they have concerns about the effect COVID-19 may have on their condition.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say asthma suffers are at most risk for complications from the novel coronavirus. Since there is so little information on this new virus, the advice is conflicting, though.

One recent study showed no link between asthma and the novel coronavirus while previous studies have shown that asthma symptoms may worsen with other strains of the coronavirus.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has issued recommendations that people with the asthma take extra care when it comes to any respiratory infection.

“Just having asthma or any other chronic lung disease doesn’t in and of itself predispose the individual to a higher likelihood of contracting COVID-19 any more than for influenza or other infectious disease,” stated Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer of the American Lung Foundation, told Newsweek.

“Having a chronic lung disease like asthma does put one at a higher risk of having more severe symptoms and complications of COVID-19 once infected.”

According to experts quoted in the Daily Mail, asthma patient should self-isolate for 12 weeks to avoid the coronavirus. The reason behind the directive is that this group is more likely to get seriously ill if they get COVID-19. But they are not more likely to catch the bug than anyone else.