WESTON, Fla. – A recent review of research suggests that contrary to initial CDC concerns, people with asthma are not at higher risk for COVID-19 infection or hospitalization compared with the general population.
Although that may sound encouraging, Dr. Samuel Gurevich, a pulmonologist with Cleveland Clinic Weston, felt the study lacked consistency when it comes to understand the impact of other underlying conditions among patients who become infected with COVID-19.
“If you have underlying lung conditions or cardiac conditions you have to stay extra careful in regards to actually protecting yourself so you stay safer and have less chance of having a poor outcome from COVID,” he said.
When it comes to asthma, Gurevich said the study found that there may be an immune response receptor in these patients that affects the impact of COVID.
And looking at how long this virus may last, new research is suggesting it could become a seasonal infection, just like colds and influenza.
A recently published study projects that the coronavirus could be affected by changes in seasons, but the key to keeping cases limited and mild hinges on development of an effective vaccine and herd immunity throughout the community.