Here’s what you need to know about coronavirus if you suffer from diabetes

People who are older or have underlying diseases like diabetes may be at a higher risk of death from the new coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a study published in The Lancet journal.

The observational study was carried on 191 patients with confirmed COVID-19 from two hospitals in Wuhan, China.

The study is the first time researchers have examined risk factors associated with severe disease and death in hospitalised adults who have either died or been discharged from hospital.

“Older age, showing signs of sepsis on admission, underlying diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes, and the prolonged use of non-invasive ventilation were important factors in the deaths of these patients,” said Zhibo Liu from Jinyintan Hospital, China.

“Poorer outcomes in older people may be due, in part, to the age-related weakening of the immune system and increased inflammation that could promote viral replication and more prolonged responses to inflammation, causing lasting damage to the heart, brain, and other organs,” Liu said.

So how can you protect yourself from coronavirus if you have diabetes?

Take these following steps to prepare and reduce your risk of infection:

Wash your hands regularly: Use soap and water to wash your hands at regular intervals. Wash your hands whenever you’re preparing or eating food, caring for a child or a sick person, using the toilet, or going out in public.

Wear a cloth mask in public: Wear a mask whenever you are venturing outside.

Practice social/physical distancing. Stay at least six feet away from other people, and avoid gathering in large groups. If you get sick, stay home and isolate yourself from other people even in your own household.

Have up-to-date supplies and prescriptions of your diabetes devices and medications. Stock up on insulin supplies, glucose testing supplies, ketone test strips, glucose tablets, and up-to-date prescriptions.

Continue taking ACE inhibitors and ARBs as directed. If you take ACE inhibitors or ARBs for high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes, keep taking them unless your physician recommends otherwise.

Be prepared if you do get sick. Keep a supply of fever-reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), and cough syrup in stock.

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