https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/parents-keep-asthmatic-kids-at-home-due-to-coronavirus/news-story/b4d7e04288b7522603a9f0c004cb0e1d

Parents keep asthmatic kids at home due to coronavirus

Alexandra Carlton | March 17, 2020

I’m not generally one to get spooked by health scares. Overall we’re a pretty healthy family, and I have no reason to believe that we’re at any particular risk in the current coronavirus outbreak.

But when my 13-year-old son had an asthma attack over the weekend - I decided there’s not a hope in hell he’s going anywhere near his school this week.

It was only a minor attack - just a bit of a wheeze and a fair bit of coughing, and it was fixed easily enough with a few sucks on his regular inhaler.

But in the current climate, with coronavirus, or COVID-19, being a condition that primarily affects the respiratory tract, I wasn’t going to take any chances.

I was doubly sure I’d made the right call when we went to our local pharmacist to buy a second Ventolin inhaler today as the one we have at home is running out.

I was shocked to discover that my local pharmacy had none at all in stock.

And the reason is even more shocking!

“We sold out a while ago. People have been buying it all up because they think it will help them if they get coronavirus - even though it won’t,” the pharmacist told me.

She added that she herself purchased several inhalers for her elderly mother who suffers from asthma, long before the coronavirus scare was at its worst.

“I knew this would start happening,” she said. “I knew people would start stockpiling as the virus got worse - even if they don’t have asthma - and that’s exactly what I’m seeing.”

Today the TGA reported that stocks of Ventolin inhalers are running low in Australia because of “unexpected demand”.

Parents of asthmatic kids are worried

I’m not the only mother I know who is keeping their children away from school if they have asthma, even though they’re not showing any of the coughs, sneezes, sore throats or runny noses that may indicate they have a cold, flu or COVID-19.

“I kept Molly at home from yesterday as, despite there being low risk at school at this stage, there was zero risk at home,” said 41-year-old mum of two Kate, from Sydney’s north.

“The stories coming out of Italy on Sunday night spooked me and they all said not to wait for the government to act so I've kept both my school-age and preschool-age children at home for this week and will reassess this weekend.”

"We weren’t allowed in the waiting room because of his cough"

Another parent, Jade from the Blue Mountains, NSW, said she kept her six-year-old asthmatic son at home because his cough was already becoming alarming thanks to the onset of colder weather.

“We saw the doctor last week and we weren’t allowed in the waiting room because of Mason’s cough,” she said. “That’s another reason I want to keep him home - I don’t want his cough to alarm the school community.”

Kristie from Sydney’s south-west is another parent struggling to get her hands on Ventolin inhalers for her 14-year-old asthmatic son.

She has searched several pharmacies in her area, with no luck.

If she could, she says, she would stockpile several inhalers to see him through any possible quarantine but that’s out of the question.

“I wish I could stockpile his Ventolin puffers but I am a single mum-of-five, I don't have the money to stockpile anything,” she says.

Five tips to help control your child's asthma

• Know the triggers - keep a diary where you can document times when your child's asthma is worse
• Be pragmatic - have a clear treatment plan and keep spare medication in the house
• Make prevention fun - turn asthma medication into an easy game
• Be prepared with sport and activities - make sure teammates and coaches are aware of how to treat your child's asthma
• Know when to take it easy - a cold or flu can make asthma symptoms worse so take it easy

Source: Amcal Senior Pharmacist, James Nevile

Are asthma sufferers more at risk from COVID-19?

There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about whether or not asthma sufferers - especially children - are more at risk than others of contracting coronavirus, or more likely to get a more severe case if they do contract it.

The World Health Organisation cites people with asthma as one of the ‘at risk’ groups when it comes to the possibly severity of COVID-19.

“Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus,” the organisation says on its website.

On the other hand, a small, very preliminary study from China suggests that asthma is not a risk factor for contracting COVID-19 in the first place, as none of the coronavirus-positive patients were found to have the condition.

Yet the American and Allergy Foundation of America says that people who suffer from asthma “should take precautions when any type of respiratory illness is spreading in their community.”

Asthma Australia is yet to take a stance...

While Asthma advisory group Asthma Australia is not yet ready to make a firm directive about what people should or shouldn’t do in terms of keeping their asthmatic children away from school.

“COVID-19 is a developing situation,” a spokesperson from Asthma Australia told Kidspot.

“Asthma Australia is actively consulting with our Professional Advisory Council about COVID-19, to provide more clarity for people with asthma.

"For asthma medications, we support the recommendation from health authorities to ensure you have access to two weeks supply of prescription medicines in case you, or someone you care for, is quarantined as a result of COVID-19.

"Stockpiling places additional stress on local pharmacies and other patients who may not be able to access much needed medication. Keep in mind, other people may not have the means to travel to other pharmacies, such as those who are elderly or have a disability."

Kidspot understands the organisation will release an official advice statement in the next one-to-two days.

One thing that’s absolutely certain about this unprecedented coronavirus outbreak is that advice is changing every day and almost nothing is certain.

And until it is, I’ll be keeping my asthmatic kid at home.