Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a communicable respiratory disease. It affects most those who are already vulnerable, especially people living with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD, and allergy. In the following resource page we summarise the existing targeted information for allergy, asthma and COPD. The page is updated every week. If you know about any information or opportunity worth mentioning in our page, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Upcoming resources for allergy, asthma and COPD patients:
- Webinar-Recording: GARD webinar on chronic respiratory diseases and COVID-19 (available here)
- Webinar-Recording: COVID-19: Potential impact on asthma patients, ERS webinar from May 5th (available here)
- Webinar on COVID-19 and Older People: Technology and Innovation as Enablers on May 29th, 7:00-8:00am (GMT-4) (more information here)
- ERS Overview: Coronavirus webinars - what the experts have to say (available here)
- EMA communication: COVID-19: reminder of risk of serious side effects with chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine (more information here)
- EPF open memo to the Health Industry (available here)
Patient organisations information resources and services:
|
Country |
Disease |
Information |
Services |
|
Czech Republic |
Asthma and COPD |
From the Czech Initiative for Asthma: https://www.cipa.cz/aktualne/astma-a-koronavirus-189 |
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Germany |
Allergy and asthma |
From the German Allergy and Asthma Association: General information: https://www.daab.de/blog/2020/03/corona-virus/ Allergy: https://www.daab.de/blog/2020/03/corona-und-allergien/ Asthma: https://www.daab.de/blog/2020/03/corona-und-asthma/ https://www.daab.de/blog/2020/04/corona-asthma-das-muessen-sie-wissen/ |
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Finland |
Asthma |
From Allergy and Asthma Association: https://www.allergia.fi/astma/astma-ja-koronavirus/ |
Free of charge telephone advisory and counselling services (09 4733 5520, Mon-Tue 8-12, Wed 14-18 and Thu-Fri 8-12. Online courses, peer support groups on Facebook, and virtual peer dating, all moderated by healthcare professionals |
|
Finland |
COPD and other lung diseases |
For the Association for Respiratory Health: https://www.hengitysliitto.fi/fi/hengityssairaudet/ajankohtaista-koronavirus |
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France |
Asthma and Allergy |
From Asthma and Allergy Association: |
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France |
Asthma, COPD and other lung conditions |
From French Federation of Respiratory Patients https://www.ffaair.org/2020/04/covid-19-se-soigner-dune-maladie-chronique-pendant-le-confinement/ |
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France |
Allergy |
From French Association for the Prevention of Allergies: https://allergies.afpral.fr/actualites/348-covid-19-et-auto-injecteurs-d-adrenaline-modalites-de-delivrance |
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Ireland |
Asthma and COPD |
From Asthma Society of Ireland: Information page: https://www.asthma.ie/covid-19-asthma-and-copd Frequent asked questions with Dr. Butler (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxN6c1FGLi0 |
Asthma adviceline with a nurse: 1800 44 54 64 COPD adviceline with a nurse: 1800 83 21 46 Whatsapp asthma and COPD support service: 086 0590132 Community Call for volunteers willing to help asthma patients during COVID-19 New patient support programmes for members |
|
Italy |
Asthma and Allery |
From the Italian Federation of Asthma and Allergy: https://www.federasmaeallergie.org/sitoFA/covid19/index.html |
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Norway |
Allergy and Asthma |
From the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association: https://www.naaf.no/subsites/informasjon-om-corona/ |
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Portugal |
Asthma |
Portuguese Asthma Association |
Updated news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APAsmaticos/ |
|
Portugal |
COPD and other lung diseases |
From the Portuguese Association of People with COPD and other respiratory diseases: http://www.respira.pt/#/menu/Not%C3%ADcias |
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Sweden |
Asthma |
The Asthma and Allergy Association is part of a task force working on COVID-19 in Sweden and responding to the most Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ) by citizens: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/communicable-disease-control/covid-19/ |
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Spain |
Asthma, COPD and other lung diseases |
Spanish Federation of Allergy and Respiratory Diseases Patients Associations: COVID-19: https://fenaer.es/noticias/ Video series on respiratory disease and COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVU9A9_xZATOHmq8c4S4aOJiSInU5BfJ3 |
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Sweden |
COPD and other lung conditions |
From the Swedish Heart and Lung Association: https://www.hjart-lung.se/aktuellt/nyhetsarkiv/information-kring-det-nya-coronaviruset/ |
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|
United Kingdom |
Asthma and COPD |
From the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership: Asthma: https://www.asthma.org.uk/coronavirus/ COPD and other lung diseases: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus Post-COVID Hub to support patients: www.post-covid.org.uk |
Helpline on asthma: 0300 222 5800, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Helpline on COPD and other lung conditions: 03000 030 555, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Dedicated helpline for people experiencing breathing difficulties after having a severe case of COVID-19. 0300 222 5942, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm Whatsapp chat with a respiratory specialist |
|
United Kingdom |
Allergy and asthma |
From Allergy UK: Frequent Asked Questions: https://www.allergyuk.org/get-help/resources/1225-coronavirus-and-allergy-faqs |
Specific information for patients:
- Recommendations for inhaled asthma controlled medications put together by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)
- Guidance for people with COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)
- Factsheets for people hospitalised for Covid-19 provided by the European Lung Foundation (ELF)
- Questions and answers on Covid-19 from the respiratory patient community, a resource point by the European Lung Foundation (ELF)
- Covid-19 resource point by the European Patients Forum
- Report on "Reducing Covid-19 transimission through using face masks" by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- The Guardian Podcast with Dr. Andy Whittamore "Covid-19: how vulnerable are people with asthma?"
Official Covid-19 information in Europe:
- Broad overview and information on Covid-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Health Organisation (WHO) Situation Reports
- Information on Covid-19 from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- Daily updated Covid-19 information provided by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
- Covid-19 Health System Response Monitor (HSRM)
Other information:
- Scientific updates on COVID-19 (available here)
- Free online course on COVID-19 by Johns Hopkins University (more information here)
- mHealth solutions for managing the COVID-19 outbreak (More information here)
- Women with COPD art competition (by European Lung Foundation)
- Video series in which medical experts share experiene of Covid-19
- European Vaccination Information Portal (an initiative of the European Union)
- European Respiratory Journal "Managing the supportive care needs of those affected by COVID-19"
- #stopsmoking: Coronakrise ist Herausforderung und Chance (Campaign of stopsmoking.ch)
- Covid-19 statements and upcoming webinars from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations’ (EFPIA)
- Covid-19 scientific data provided and regularly updated by the Johns Hopkins University Corona Resource Center
- New European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) micro-learning course on Covid-19
- Updated European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidance on the management of clinical trials during the Covid-19 pandemic