Asthma and frontline staff? What are you doing?

[Worriedaboutcovid19]

I have asthma and am a healthcare professional within the hospital.

I am likely to need to treat patients with the virus. I have a useful set of skills too and will likely be coordinating a lot of patient care. So its not like i won't be missed. What should i do?

I do not come into the 'severe' category but i do need to use my inhaler daily.
I've also had pneumonia and regularly take steroids for chest infections.

I really want to keep working to support my team through this pandemic, but i also don't want to catch it as ill likely become very poorly or worse.

What are other professionals doing? I'm so torn!

I have Asthma and am working exclusively from home. I really feel for those that can’t. Have you asked your employer how they can support/help to safeguard you?

My understanding is that, in this instance, “severe asthma” covers asthmatics who have been been hospitalised or needed steroids because of it (not sure how far back it goes though, I am assuming maybe in the last couple of years, but don’t know that!)

I haven’t been hospitalised for over 10 years, but have had steroids twice because of flare ups in the last year, and a nebuliser at out of hours once in the last year. I take a preventative morning and night but it seems to break through when I’ve had a virus at times.

I am expecting to receive a letter, based on a conversation I had with my GP last week - he said that it would apply to asthmatics who had received steroids or been hospitalised, as opposed to people who’d been given inhalers years ago but don’t need to use them regularly.

He could have been mistaken though, anyone else with asthma have more info?

I've emailed my manager with my concerns. It's difficult though as i am a senior myself so i feel i will be left to make my own decision. They'll want me to stay though as i know ill be beneficial.

I do feel like what that doctor said on tv, were like lambs to the slaughter!

My family and friends are begging me not to go in. My mum is begging me not to go in. But i do know i can make a difference so it's hard.

I am in a very similar position but different condition.
I am exploring non contact roles that I could step in to/ or work in a different way whilst still fulfilling my role as much as possible. Is this something you can do?

I’m not sure if I will be given the 12 weeks or not. My asthma is usually well controlled although I had a bad flare up in Feb and was on steroids then. My asthmas not been 100% since then (ds2 also suffers and also had a bad episode then, also being on steroids)
What does concern me is pay if I was to be given the letter.. would it be classed as being signed off?? And we’d be paid.
I am frontline in a prominent role, I would be moving between ITU and other covid wards. I had already decided to send ds to my parents (single parent his df hasn’t even checked how he this week - were being isolated as we was sent home poorly from school)
If I received a letter I would also be torn between letting my colleagues down and my own heath the Asthma web site have put a list up of the asthma meds that will definitely be receiving a letter is that’s any help (I’ve not checked mine yet)

www.asthma.org.uk/coronavirus

The asthma site has crashed so i cant get on it.

I could be non clinical within the hospital and put myself in an office to do paperwork. That'll be a bit of help to the team. But when I'm one of the seniors id feel awful having my less experienced staff carrying the load and running between wards taking risks whilst im in an office. I don't want to be seen as trying to cop off/shirk risks whilst throwing them to the wolves.

Its so hard!

@Borderscotch - thank you

If you look at asthma uk on Twitter, they have put up a list of inhalers and doses that indicate if you are on a high dose and need to be shielded.