Approach to childhood asthma in the era of COVID-19: The official statement endorsed by the Saudi Pediatric Pulmonology Association (SPPA)

• Main Authors: Abdullah Al-Shamrani, Adel S. Al-Harbi, S.A. Alhaider, Saleh Alharbi, Nasser S. Al-Harbi, Alnashmi Alanazi, Turki S. Al Ahmadi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
• Subjects: Asthma; COVID-19; Saudi pediatric pulmonology association (SPPA)
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352646720300612
• ISSN: 2352-6467

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that infect humans, which may result in mild symptoms similar to those of the common cold. COVID-19 is most recent subtype similar or even worse than the two previous pandemic strains which were the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The first cases of COVID-19 emerged in December 2019. Since then, the virus causing the disease has infected more than four million people around the globe and led to hundreds of thousands deaths. We think addressing the management of asthma in the era of this pandemic is important for several reasons: high prevalence of asthma in Saudi Arabia, further, majorities were uncontrolled disease. The statement will provide special instructions and answers to common questions of physicians dealing with asthmatic children during this pandemic.