Coronavirus: COPD sufferers “at higher risk”

“Stop talking about old people, children (almost none are affected, fortunately), diabetics, cardiovascular patients because […] the Covid 19 destroys the lungs and it is not the asthmatics either who are in vital danger, but indeed the 700,000 COPD in the severe stage that we are and of which nobody speaks, “continues France BPCO.

Masks for the suffering

An unrecognized disease, COPD is caused by inflammation and progressive obstruction of the bronchi. Its symptoms: chronic bronchitis (cough that is oily for several months each year), repeated bronchitis or a progressive feeling of lack of air.

“Particularly disabling, it affects in France between 5 and 10% of adults”, according to the public health agency France Public Health. It “cannot be cured but (its) evolution can be slowed down by stopping smoking”.

France BPCO says it sent a letter to the Minister of Health Olivier Véran. It requests in particular that the health services be made aware of the case of patients suffering from COPD, and that the latter benefit from the most protective masks (called FFP2), normally intended for nursing staff.

Over three million deaths in 2015

“COPD does not breathe badly, they already suffocate permanently”, continues the association, according to which these patients are “nearly 4 million in this country of which only one million has already been diagnosed”.