Autoimmune Disease and the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Robin Gregg

Autoimmune Disease(s) makes it even more difficult to prevent and/or recover from the Coronavirus. Several live with these diseases everyday and no one would ever know they had one. I urge you to think twice before passing judgment and thinking our nation is overreacting to the extra measures being taken to curb the spread of this virus. YOU might be able to recover from it with no problem, however, carry it to someone with an autoimmune disease and that individual won’t be as lucky.

My husband and I have autoimmune diseases. I was diagnosed by Kansas City University Hospital and my husband at the University Hospital in Columbia; which makes us both easily acceptable to viruses, not only COVID-19.

According to WebMD, “Immune system disorders cause abnormally low activity or over activity of the immune system. In cases of immune system over activity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues (autoimmune diseases). Immune deficiency diseases decrease the body's ability to fight invaders, causing vulnerability to infections.

In response to an unknown trigger, the immune system may begin producing antibodies that instead of fighting infections, attack the body's own tissues. Treatment for autoimmune diseases generally focuses on reducing immune system activity. Examples of autoimmune diseases include: Rheumatoid Arthritis; Hashimoto's Thyroiditis; Lupus; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Multiple Sclerosis (MS); Type 1 Diabetes; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy; Psoriasis; Graves Disease; Myasthenia Gravis; Celiac Disease; Polymyalgia Rheumatica; Temporal Arteritis; Vasculitis and many more.

Chronic fatigue is another symptom. It is not a cold or the flu, you will never get better, and even a nap will not help. Just eating a salad and hitting the gym won’t slim your face or get the pounds off. Sleeping 10 hours doesn’t leave you well rested, ever. The last-minute changes in plans because that “just got ran over” feeling never makes appointments, it just walks in whenever you aren’t ready.

Painful joints, muscles and bones, dry skin, breaking hair, hair loss, mood swings, and depression are just the tip of the iceberg.

You are also prone to having multiple autoimmune diseases, they typically come in pairs of two. You easily catch viral and bacterial infections. You have days where no matter how hard you try, you just can’t smile for anyone.

Dr. Betty Diamond, Chair of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) Scientific Advisory Board wrote, “The worldwide spread of COVID19 has disrupted all our lives. Unfortunately, the lack of information, and the slow engagement of scientific leadership, has enabled rumors and misinformation to spread. Fortunately, we all still exercise some control over our own health during this crisis. We, at AARDA, take this opportunity to offer some advice for individuals with autoimmune diseases during this pandemic.

It is clear that social distancing is an important component of infection control. Stay away from crowded venues. If you must use public transportation, try to travel during non-peak hours. Postpone gatherings with friends and family. Most importantly, wash hands often and thoroughly. Each individual’s unique circumstances will be different, but the principle that should apply to everyone is to minimize contact with other people to the extent possible – for your own health, your family’s health, and for the sake of public health. We each have a responsibility to minimize the spread of the virus in the community even if we are willing to take risks for ourselves.

The CDC has recommended against wearing a mask if you are well. However, if a family member is ill, they should wear a mask and avoid being in the same room with you.

It is a certainty that those on immunosuppressive medication and corticosteroids are more at risk for infections. It is also likely that individuals on immunosuppressive therapy who develop the virus may not exhibit a fever. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapies lessen the activation of those immune cells which are responsible for a fever. Therefore, individuals with autoimmune diseases requiring these therapies need to know that a cough, fatigue and certainly any difficulty breathing are reason enough to contact your physician with or without a fever. Try to establish in advance how you will contact your doctor should you develop symptoms or have concerns that you were or might have been exposed to a person infected by the virus. Emergency rooms and triage centers are not good places to be. Alternative ways to access care is preferable if possible.

Unfortunately, some misinformation is being circulated online. There is no current treatment or cure for COVID19 apart from supportive measures. There are a few specialized hospitals that are starting clinical trials of anti-viral drugs, and there are efforts underway to design vaccines. These will need to be tested for safety and effectiveness before they can be distributed to the general public. This takes time and is why health officials think it will be about a year before a vaccine is available.”