Smoke from wildfires affects long-haul COVID-19

BOISE (KIVI) – Idaho has been smoky for the past few weeks and while the smoke can affect anyone, long-haul COVID-19 people say it worsens their long-lasting symptoms than before.

“It hurts so much from the smoke. Honestly, there are no words to describe it. It’s a nightmare, ”COVID-19 long-haul Syndi Shoff said.

Shoff lives in Idaho Falls and has seen smoky skies like the rest of the state for weeks, but for her it’s worse. Shoff contracted COVID-19 in May and has suffered from long-haul symptoms ever since.

She says the smoke makes her symptoms 10 times worse.

“It had never bothered me before. Before I had COVID, I was still going out. I would do some gardening work; I would go to the store and I would live my life. After having COVID, I can’t. “

She says she should keep her windows closed at all times and that even just being around people who are outside triggers her symptoms. She hasn’t recovered her taste or smell – but she says her kids can’t go out and play outside because they are unintentionally bringing the smoke into the house with them.

“It affects me when people are outside in the smoke and smoky air because almost instantly, when I’m around them my chest tightens, I have trouble breathing, my eyes run like crazy.” . It really seems to make everything that’s going on in my body worse, ”Shoff said.

Saint Alphonsus Medical Director for Pulmonary Intensive Care John East says little is currently known about the direct impact of smoke from a wildfire on a long-haul .

“The kind of pollution we get with smoke from forest fires is made up of little particles from burning wood and those particles are small enough that they can actually go deep into the lungs and that little particle that goes deep into the lungs. can trigger inflammation. reply.”

Latest smoke forecast from the HRRR model. Most of the smoke comes from the Dixie and Caldor fires in California. #idwx #orwx pic.twitter.com/W1mOV2f2N0

– NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) August 24, 2021

He says it would make sense for someone to experience these symptoms, as smoke from wildfires can already create an inflammatory reaction for anyone.

“We know that COVID infection in many people is an inflammatory disease. When you get these patients who are long haul, and there has been publications on post-infection inflammation even for people with mild or asymptomatic disease and we know there is a persistent activation of inflammatory molecules. in these patients, ”East said. “Inflammation in the lungs, however, for anyone with a chronic illness or even for those without a chronic illness, has an impact on how they feel. So, I think it’s not exclusive to people with long-haul COVID, but I think anyone who has a chronic illness or any of those conditions, that there is a risk that the poor quality air can make them worse. “

If you are a COVID-19 long haul in Idaho, you can join the Facebook group for help.