It’s turned out people with asthma are at slightly lower risk of acquiring COVID-19, being hospitalised with it or indeed dying from it compared to people without asthma. Though, someone with asthma who is hospitalised with COVID-19 is slightly more likely to require ICU admission.
Social distancing and locking down millions of people around the world has been a real time case study in what staying at home would do to asthma rates. Because people in lockdown go outside a lot less, it could reduce their exposure to pollen and other allergens and irritants outdoors such as smoke, thereby reducing asthma attacks.
In 2019, there were 302,084 flu cases notified to health departments in Australia. And that was with a significant proportion of the population vaccinated.
In 2021, up to Nov 7, there have been just 598 flu cases (in Australia).
All of the above is true but the good doctor does not examine in depth the relationship between corticosteroids and reduced lung inflamation. He takes the idea of social distancing as the only reason why "maybe" hospitals are seeing fewer asthma attacks. And people in lockdown face different asthma triggers while being isolated indoors. Or whether the "slight" increase in ICU admission is due to hospitals overcompensating on ingress procedures, or if the patients actually needed an ICU.
Makes me wonder if this doctor is a True Believer or just self censoring.
Budesonide inhalers.