Abstract
The Austrian Society of Pneumology (ASP) launched a first statement on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in May 2020, at a time when in Austria 285 people had died from this disease and vaccinations were not available. Lockdown and social distancing were the only available measures to prevent more infections and the breakdown of the health system. Meanwhile, in Austria over 13,000 patients have died in association with a SARS-CoV‑2 infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was among the most common causes of death; however, SARS-CoV‑2 has been mutating all the time and currently, most patients have been affected by the delta variant where the vaccination is very effective but the omicron variant is rapidly rising and becoming predominant. Particularly in children and young adults, where the vaccination rate is low, the omicron variant is expected to spread very fast. This poses a particular threat to unvaccinated people who are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19 disease but also to people with an active vaccination. There are few publications that comprehensively addressed the special issues with SARS-CoV‑2 infection in patients with chronic lung diseases. These were the reasons for this updated statement. Pulmonologists care for many patients with an elevated risk of death in case of COVID-19 but also for patients that might be at an elevated risk of vaccination reactions or vaccination failure. In addition, lung function tests, bronchoscopy, respiratory physiotherapy and training therapy may put both patients and health professionals at an increased risk of infection. The working circles of the ASP have provided statements concerning these risks and how to avoid risks for the patients.
Keywords: Chronic lung disease; Immune modulators; Long covid; Mechanical ventilation; Pediatric lung disease.
【저자키워드】 mechanical ventilation, Long COVID, Immune modulators, chronic lung disease, Pediatric lung disease., 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, vaccination, therapy, mechanical ventilation, lockdown, social distancing, children, variant, Infection, lung, Lung disease, risk, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, delta variant, COVID-19 disease, Spread, Adults, Health, Lung function, Patient, Omicron variant, health system, disease, Care, patients, severe COVID-19 disease, association, SARS-CoV‑2, Vaccinations, chronic lung disease, bronchoscopy, chronic, chronic lung diseases, risk of death, Society, acute respiratory syndrome, ASP, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, reaction, increased risk, Most patients, measure, professional, breakdown, vaccination rate, SARS-CoV‑2 infection, Prevent, effective, Long, Pneumology, affected, died, addition, elevated, provided, cause, predominant, expected, addressed, concerning, rising, Mechanical, 【제목키워드】 Infection, Patient, Society, ASP, patients with SARS-CoV-2,