“People are grieving the loss of their normalcy and fearing what can happen to their health and other economic uncertainties,” she tells Reuters Health by email. “Doing good self-care can decrease the chance of flaring, especially during a pandemic when we are trying to have patients avoid unnecessary physician visits.”
People should be prepared for this “new normal” to be around for some time, Dr. Pope adds. The pandemic has slowed in some countries but is picking up in others, and there’s a possibility of resurges this year.
“From the events worldwide over the first half of 2020, it seems likely that COVID-19 is not going to go away,” says Dr. Durga Prasanna Misra of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India. Dr. Misra, who also wasn’t involved with the report, has written about the rheumatologist’s perspective on COVID-19.
“All of us have to take measures at a personal level to remain protected from the virus as much as possible,” he tells Reuters Health by email. “Please practice social distancing, wash hands regularly and use masks while going out in public.”
Reference
- Kim HS, Lee MS, Kim HJ, et al. Self-care recommendations for patients with rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rheumatol Int. 2020 Jun 2;1–3. Online ahead of print.
