Coronavirus is causing anxiety for many people, including those with asthma. The lung disease, which makes breathing difficult, is among conditions that appear to make people more vulnerable to the severe form of COVID-19, the illness caused by the bug, according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Still, there’s little data right now about how exactly the new virus affects people with asthma, though the condition has been known to worsen with other strains of coronavirus. Since the virus is new, the picture is not entirely clear for people with the condition. One recent study of 140 people who were hospitalized for COVID-19 in China found asthma was not a risk factor for the infection.
“The data are limited and at this time do not demonstrate any clear evidence of increased risk of disease or severity of disease for those with asthma,” an American doctor said. It is important that all patients with asthma take their medications and keep their asthma under control. People with the condition should take precautions when any type of respiratory illness is spreading in their community. That includes the usual advice: frequent hand washing, social distancing, staying at home if there’s local widespread disease and having a two-week supply of supplies.
