NHS release new official guidance for asthma sufferers amid the coronavirus outbreak - what you need to know

As coronavirus continues to spread across the UK, with more than 51,600 cases now confirmed, there are growing concerns for those who are most vulnerable if they contract it.

Public Health England (PHE) has warned that those with weaker immune systems and long-term illnesses are most at risk, but what does that mean for asthma sufferers?

What is the new official guidance for asthmatics?

The NHS has now released official guidance for people who are asthmatic amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides guidelines to the NHS, the guidance has been issued to maximise the safety of both adults and children who suffer with severe asthma.

‘Severe' asthma is defined as someone who “requires treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus a second controller (and/or systemic corticosteroids) to prevent it from becoming "uncontrolled", or which remains "uncontrolled" despite this therapy”.

Those with severe asthma are advised to continue taking any treatment as prescirbed, and to attend any essential medical appointments alone to minimise the risk of infection.

NICE said: “The guideline recommends that patients should be advised to regularly clean equipment such as face masks and mouth pieces, and that they should not share their inhalers and devices with anyone else.”

Patients with severe asthma who have received a letter from the Government telling them they are at high risk of complications arising from coronavirus should be advised to ‘shield’.

GPs have also been urged to only carry out bronchoscopy and pulmonary function tests for urgent cases, as these have the potential to spread the virus, as well as not to prescribe asthma medicines for more than 30 days’ treatment to avoid causing shortages.

Are asthmatics more susceptible to coronavirus?

On Monday 16 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that people in ‘vulnerable groups’ should stay at home for 12 weeks.

The virus poses the biggest threat to those with weaker immune systems and long-term, or chronic, respiratory illnesses, such as asthma.

Asthma sufferers are thought to be at greater risk of being more severely affected by coronavirus, which causes an infection in the respiratory tract and can cause difficulties with breathing.

Who is included in the ‘at risk’ groups?

The government is currently advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus to follow strict social distancing measures where possible, in an effort to reduce the transmission of the virus.

This includes avoiding non-essential use of public transport, working from home where possible, avoiding large gatherings and those in smaller public spaces, such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants and theatres, and avoiding gatherings with family and friends.

The following groups of people are advised to follow these measures if they are:

aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)

under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (i.e anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):

chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis

chronic heart disease, such as heart failure

chronic kidney disease

chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis

chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple

sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy

diabetes