Covid-19 - What People With Diabetes Should Know

Currently, the world is in the midst of a pandemic called coronavirus induced disease or COVID-19.

- Dr Unnikrishnan AG

People infected by the virus may remain asymptomatic, or may have symptoms ranging from a loss of smell, gastrointestinal disturbances, fever, cough, sore throat and conjunctivitis. In severe cases, breathing difficulties causing death have been reported.

COVID-19 has three phases. In the first phase, people may have no symptoms, or may have a fever with mild cough. In the second phase, severe cough and breathing problems occur. In the third phase, the body reacts strongly to the virus. This reaction is called inflammation (see later), and this reaction causes low blood pressure, multi-organ dysfunction, abnormal clotting of blood and even death. Most people who contract the virus have no symptoms and recover quickly. However, the virus spreads quickly, and in about 1-5 per cent of people, COVID-19 may be fatal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world as we knew it. From travel to tourism, from entertainment to the economy, the changes have impacted every aspect of human life. However, arguably the most striking changes have been seen in health and disease of people.

With more than 70 million people in India having Diabetes, it was inevitable that COVID-19 pandemic would impact Diabetes and its management. How did people with Diabetes get affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Does Diabetes increase the risk of COVID-19? What precautions should people with Diabetes take to protect themselves during this pandemic, and indeed, the next pandemic, should it ever come again?

This article will focus on what people with Diabetes must know and do about a viral pandemic. In order to simplify the topic for readers, I have tried to take the help of fictional case studies based on real-life situations.