Many French people are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a relatively unknown chronic disease. However, those affected would be the most vulnerable with regard to the current coronavirus epidemic. An association representing these patients has recently stepped up.
According to an Inserm publication, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchi, mainly caused by smoking. This is characterized by progressive narrowing and permanent obstruction of the airways and lungs, resulting in respiratory discomfort . In 2000, this disease affected 1.7 million people in France and today, nearly 4 million . According to a study published in 2017 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, this disease caused 3.2 million deaths worldwide in 2015.
This disease, still little known to the general public, is being talked about as the coronavirus epidemic is gaining momentum in our country. On February 25, 2020, the France BPCO association published a letter to the Minister of Health Olivier Véran. The goal? Shedding light on these patients with COPD, who should be considered the most vulnerable to Covid-19.
In its letter, France BPCO mentions the 700,000 French BCPO patients currently in serious condition. The association believes that the focus should be on the latter rather than over-communicating about the elderly, children, diabetics or people with cardiovascular disease.
Flatly, France BCPO asks the Minister that an awareness campaign be conducted in health facilities across the country. The goal ? Inform as much as possible about the cases presenting this disease. Another request concerns FFP2 protection masks , currently only reserved for health personnel. However, the association believes that COPD patients should also benefit from it.
We already know that in most cases of coronavirus, patients have mild symptoms, such as cough and fever. However, we know that the most severe form is acute respiratory distress syndrome . In other words, it is a severe failure of the respiratory functions. However, COPD patients are already fragile and catching Covid-19 could well be fatal to them.
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