People with COPD and COVID-19 are at higher risk of serious complications if they contract it, which is why the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) are working together to minimize the impact.

Manage your illness properly

Having the COPD under control is essential in this case. To do this it is necessary that:

  • Take your medication as prescribed. There is no evidence that taking steroid inhalers makes people more susceptible to COVID-19, so if your doctor has not told you otherwise, you must continue taking this medication.
  • Use inhalers correctly. In the case of pressurized cartridges, it is recommended that you use them with a spacer and avoid using nebulizers.
  • If you are using oxygen, continue using it as prescribed.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Properly clean your oxygen therapy devices, peak flow, spacer chambers…
  • Quit smoking, if you haven't already. Smoking increases the severity of asthma symptoms. COVID-19.
  • Stay active. Even if you have to stay at home, keep moving.
  • Perform your respiratory physiotherapy exercises to keep your lungs free of phlegm and thus avoid infections.
  • If you have the usual symptoms and signs of an exacerbation, such as an increased feeling of shortness of breath and increased production of secretions and changes in their characteristics, follow the recommendations given by your doctor in these situations.
  • If you have a fever or a persistent cough, call your community's coronavirus hotline and follow the instructions.
  • If the fever increases and you also have a dry cough or muscle pain, these may be symptoms of coronavirus, so it is advisable to self-isolate and contact health services.

At a time when going to a medical centre is neither possible nor advisable, it is essential to work with digital health tools. Thanks to them we can continue to have an active life, adhere to treatments, properly manage our illness and keep it under control.

An example of these tools is the Comprehensive Care Platform HappyAir, which is made available during the pandemic by the COVID-19, the project Pioneers Designed for people with COPD and alpha-1. In HappyAir In addition to monitoring the evolution of our disease and compliance with our treatment, we will have the support of a respiratory coach, a healthcare professional duly trained in respiratory care and online care (COPD and COVID-19).

If you have any questions related to respiratory diseases in general and COVID-19 in particular, you can contact us on the CONCIENCIA line. This line offers support to people affected by respiratory diseases, in quarantine or confinement, or to anyone who is worried about the current situation we find ourselves in. It is attended by our team of respiratory physiotherapists.

You can contact the support line through our channels.

Bibliography

GOLD: https://goldcopd.org/gold-covid-19-guidance/
COVID-19 and respiratory diseases SEFAC https://vimeo.com/405788880
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus

Last updated on May 15, 2020