Study finds people with asthma 30% less likely to contract COVID-19

A new study by Israeli researchers has found that people with asthma may be up to 30% less likely to contract the coronavirus. They published their research in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology last week, concluding that they had observed a lower incidence of COVID-19 in subjects in their study with pre-existing asthma.

According to The Hill, one of the study’s authors, Eugene Merzon MD, said there were three reasons people with asthma might have a reduced risk of contracting COVID-19. The first is that people with respiratory allergies have significantly fewer ACE2 enzyme receptors in the lungs, the virus’s usual entry point. A second possibility is that people with asthma take better precautionary measures such as wearing masks and social distancing. The third potential reason is that the inhaled corticosteroids that asthma suffers from may reduce the replication of the virus.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Merzon, head of the managed care department of Leumit’s health services, said:

“The recommendation is that these patients make sure they continue to take their medications during the pandemic.” Previous reports from China and Italy have confirmed that few asthma patients have contacted COVID-19. Similar results were found in patients in New York and the UK, according to the Post.