Dr. Tania Laidlaw from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA offers insight into your AERD and COVID-19 questions.
What advice do you give AERD patients about taking their asthma medications?
We advise that AERD patients remain on their medications. It’s important that your asthma be well controlled. Studies show asthma medications, including inhaled corticosteroids and biologics do not increase the risk of getting COVID-19. Also, if you become infected with COVID-19, there is no information that asthma medications will make it worse. Many patients with asthma may feel more comfortable having an extra supply of their regular asthma medications at home, including access to albuterol if needed. Please reach out to your AERD or asthma specialist for prescriptions if you need refills.
Is there an issue with taking NSAIDs or aspirin?
There are occasional news reports that suggest taking NSAIDs or aspirin might be a risk factor for worsened COVID-19 symptoms. At this time, there is no data to support this concern. For AERD patients desensitized to aspirin and maintained on a daily dose of aspirin, we currently recommend that you remain on your usual dose of aspirin. If any new information emerges that would change our recommendation, we will provide updated information. If your AERD specialist has a different recommendation based on your personal situation, please follow those recommendations.
It is important that you follow the guidelines required by your local public health officials and practice social distancing. However, during these times it is increasingly important we don’t lose our human connections. There are a number of resources that may be helpful to you within the international community of AERD patients. These resources include:
Resources
We’re here to help! The Allergy & Asthma Network is committed to getting information into the hands of our patients and stakeholders during this uncertain time of the COVID-19 crisis.
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