The coronavirus disease or COVID 19 is scary for all people, but asthma patients will have worse consequences or may be more likely to get severe respiratory illness. Patients are advised to use their asthalin HFA inhaler to keep asthma under control.
If you are an asthma patient, then you might be wondering what the coronavirus disease means for you. However, currently, no evidence shows increased COVID 19 infection cases in asthma patients. When people who have asthma get a respiratory infection, it can trigger or worsen their asthma symptoms. According to disease control and prevention, patients with moderate to severe asthma are more likely to get severe asthma symptoms. However, there is no evidence to support this determination. There have been reports suggesting that asthma may increase the risk of COvid associated complications in 18 to 50-year-old adults. At this point, it is important to understand that we are dealing with an expanding pandemic, and new information could change the situation in the future. Earlier, some reports suggest that steroids were contraindicated in individuals battling with COVID 19. Although as per some health care experts, steroids are effective for people dealing with the coronavirus disease.
Based on these clinical studies, many of you may be wondering if their asthma-controlled medication is an oral steroid or not? Well! The answer is continuing to take your controlled medications without missing doses. Some reports suggest that steroid use may increase shedding of the coronavirus in patients those who received steroids for the viral illness. The uses of steroids for asthma have not studied yet. But the at the time of expanding pandemic, one thing that an asthma patient can do is to get control over his/her asthma symptoms. Stopping asthma medications can put him/her at high risk of developing exacerbation. Worsening of asthma requires immediate hospitalization where the individual has a much higher risk of exposing to COVID 19. So, by continuing asthma medication and keep asthma symptoms under control, individual suffering from asthma may reduce the chance of exposure to the deadly virus. It is important to note that there are severe complications associated with the respiratory illness COVID- 19 that has been shown to cause asthma exacerbation. The best option for asthma patients is to keep their asthma under the best possible control. This causes your lungs to be well prepared for an infection or allergen that may lead to exacerbation of asthma.
Prepare for COVID-19
People with moderate to severe asthma may be at higher risk of developing sickness associated with the coronavirus disease. The novel coronavirus can affect your entire respiratory tract, including your nose, throat, and lungs, causing an asthma attack. This could lead to pneumonia and acute respiratory disease. Currently, there is no vaccine available for COVID 19 patients. The best way is to prevent the infection is to avoid being exposed to the life-threatening virus that causes COVID 19 and associated serious complications. Follow these guidelines to prevent the exposure to this deadly pandemic:
- Keep a 30-day supply of your asthma medications, make sure you timely fill up your prescription you that you won’t run out of the stock during the pandemic.
- Take every possible precaution to avoid exposure to the virus. This may include washing your hands, avoiding close contact, and maintaining a distance of at least six feet from another person.
- Wear masks whenever you step out or around a bunch of people who do not live in your household.
- Avoid crowded areas when you out in public.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains 60% of alcohol.
The bottom line
In this current pandemic situation, people with asthma should keep doing what they all have been doing, and 1e continue taking their controller medication and inform their health care experts of any worsening of asthma symptoms. And last but not least, remember to practice physical distancing, wash your hands, and wear masks whenever step out.
Also Read: Is Honey good for Asthma?
