Coronavirus (covid

According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the group most at risk from COVID-19 are those with autoimmune diseases. One of the autoimmune diseases that "steal" the attention of doctors is lupus. So, what makes the risk of COVID-19 in lupus sufferers need to be watched out for?

The risk of COVID-19 in people with lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune condition when the immune system attacks its own tissues. This is what puts people with lupus at risk of developing more severe symptoms when exposed to COVID-19.

You see, the COVID-19 disease is a new disease and so far there are still many things that make experts not yet aware of the ins and outs of this respiratory disease. Starting from the symptoms to the effects of COVID-19 on the body of each individual are still being studied further.

Based on available information, the elderly and people of all ages with a history of chronic disease are considered to have a higher risk of developing more severe symptoms when infected.

Meanwhile, lupus is a disease that attacks various tissues and has quite varied treatments. For example, people with lupus use immunosuppressant drugs, which are drugs used to suppress and reduce immune system function.

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Immunosuppressant drugs are used to treat the symptoms of lupus they experience. On the other hand, drugs of this type can also increase a person's risk of contracting a viral infection

This is even more so if people with lupus are over 65 years of age, undergoing outpatient care, or have other medical conditions related to lupus.

Therefore, some of the factors above make the risk of lupus sufferers against COVID-19 higher than others.

Category of risk level for COVID-19 in people with lupus

Reporting from Lupus UK, there are guidelines that lupus sufferers can do regarding the level of risk for COVID-19. It aims to help doctors and nurses enter the patient risk level category which consists of three groups, namely as follows.

1. High-risk or very vulnerable groups

Normally, groups of people with lupus who have a high risk of COVID-19 have a score of 3 or more. They need instructions to protect themselves to undergo special treatment that comes from a doctor's recommendation.

In Europe itself, this guide has been implemented by sending instructions to every lupus sufferer to protect themselves by quarantine for approximately 12 weeks. Those who are included in the treatment below are advised to carry out this recommendation to reduce their exposure to the risk of COVID-19.

• using high-dose steroids once a day or more for four weeks
• underwent cyclophosphamide treatment in the past six months
• recently developed another autoimmune disease
• taking lower doses of steroids in addition to other immunosuppressive drugs
• using two immunosuppressive drugs and being over 70 years of age
• have other diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, to lung disease

One thing to remember is that the immunosuppressive drugs used by people with lupus who are susceptible to infection with the COVID-19 virus do not include hydroxychloroquine.

2. Moderate or vulnerable groups at risk

For people with lupus who are in the group with moderate or vulnerable risk of COVID-19, it is recommended to carry out self-quarantine at home. In addition, they are also asked to undergo physical distancing , including with family members at home.

Usually the group of people with lupus who are at moderate risk have the disease well controlled. The lupus they had recently had no recurrence and had no other health problems.

Treatment for people with lupus in this group also used one type of immunosuppressive drug or hydroxychloroquine in the previous 12 months. Therefore, efforts to prevent COVID-19, such as physical distancing and routine hand washing needs to be applied to everyone, including people with lupus.

3. Low-risk groups

Finally, people with lupus who are in the fairly low risk group for COVID-19 have a score of 1 and are recommended to keep their distance from other people.

Normally, those who fall into this category suffer from lupus without a history of other diseases. They can control their disease well without severe symptoms and the only treatment used is hydroxychloroquine.

Some of the suggestions above are not really aimed specifically at people with lupus at a higher risk of COVID-19. This guide is based on the information currently available, so there is the possibility to change from time to time.

Even so, it doesn't hurt to carry out independent isolation at home and other preventive measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Symptoms of COVID-19 that lupus sufferers need to watch out for

In general, the common symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of other diseases, such as flu, namely high fever, shortness of breath and dry cough.

The three symptoms above can be accompanied by fatigue which would be difficult to distinguish from other diseases. Therefore, lupus sufferers need to pay attention to symptoms related to COVID-19 infection in order to get proper and fast treatment.

In addition, people with lupus also have a compromised immune system, so the risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms is even higher. Starting from difficulty breathing, chest pain, to changes in the color of the face and lips, these are signs that someone needs emergency medical care.

Tips for relieving the symptoms of COVID-19 in people with lupus

In fact, so far there has been no drug that really aims specifically to treat COVID-19. However, experts have tried various drugs that can be used to relieve symptoms of COVID-19, such as;

• take acetaminophen to reduce pain and fever
• meet the needs of fluids and eat nutritious foods
• rest and not do too many activities that make you tired quickly

The three methods above are usually quite effective in relieving symptoms similar to COVID-19. So, what about the treatment that is carried out by lupus sufferers who have a higher risk of COVID-19?

Lupus sufferers are strongly advised not to change the rules for lupus medication recommended by their doctor. It is important to remember that if lupus returns to activity, it will increase a person's risk of developing a more severe infection.

If you are worried about experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19, it is highly recommended to consult a doctor first. This aims to find out what drugs are safe for consumption.

For example, the initial report from Clinical Infectious Disease demonstrated that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as common treatments for lupus can be used to relieve symptoms of COVID-19.

However, further research is still needed regarding the risk of COVID-19 in lupus sufferers and the drugs they are taking.