It’s easy to mistake asthma symptoms for COVID-19- Expert

A Public Health expert, Dr Gabriel Adakole has said people who are asthmatic are more at risk while the COVID-19 pandemic lasts, urging them to be aware and well informed about the condition.

Adakole noted that asthma and COVID-19 have certain symptoms in common, underscoring the need for health workers to effectively differentiate between the two in order not to jeopardise lives.

Dr. Adakole said this in an interview with the NAN on Wednesday in Abuja, on the sidelines of the 2021 World Asthma Day.

NAN reports that the theme for this year’s World Asthma Day is ‘Uncovering asthma misconceptions’.

The theme aimed to address and burst widely-held myths and misconceptions concerning asthma that hinders people living with the condition from enjoying life to the fullest, despite advancement in medical science.

According to him, asthma and COVID-19 inflame the respiratory tract and can even cause asthma attack or lead to more serious life-threatening complications such as pneumonia or acute respiratory disease.

The expert said that since COVID-19 and asthma present similar symptoms, monitoring and controlling of asthma as well as avoiding triggers are key to staying safe.

“Since difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath can be symptoms of both COVID-19 and asthma, telling the difference may be difficult.

“Seek immediate or emergency care if you are experiencing respiratory distress, fast or laboured breathing, chest pain, bluish tint to skin, nails and trouble talking or walking,” he advised.

Speaking on the World Asthma Day, he noted that it was an important day to create awareness and educate people about asthma, a chronic lung disorder, noting that it is quite relevant in today’s time, especially because of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Surprisingly, current data does not consistently suggest an increased prevalence of asthma among COVID-19 patients, as they are self-shielded and that’s why there’s less mortality,” he added.

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Adakole advised people living with asthma to take preventive measures during the pandemic by wearing double mask when going out, and keeping necessary medicines stocked up.

The expert added that they should keep anxiety and stress levels as low as possible and focus on breathing exercises.

NAN recalls that the World Health Organisation warns that “People with under-treated asthma can suffer sleep disturbance, tiredness during the day, and poor concentration.

“Asthma sufferers and their families may miss school and work, with financial impact on the family and wider community.

“If symptoms are severe, people with asthma may need to receive emergency healthcare and they may be admitted to hospital for treatment and monitoring.

“In the most severe cases, asthma can lead to death.”