CDC recommendation about “underlying health conditions”

[Anonymous]

I currently take plaquenil/hydroxychloroquine at a high dose (400 mg daily) to prevent the onset of lupus/suppress other precursor autoimmune issues (my platelets will get severely low without it). I will ask my doctor on Monday but am wondering what your plans are for avoiding covid19 if you have auto immune or other disorders. I can telework but am a supervisor and much of my work involves meeting and coordinating meetings with SES and other staff. At the moment I will need a doctors note to stay home, but I can see that changing soon. Fortunately I drive to work instead of using public transportation. I am 39 so not yet in an age related risk category. I already am skipping a social gathering of many golds who have traveled internationally and am skipping church services downtown.

[Anonymous]

Op and I should add that plaquenil is considered “immunomodulating” not immunosuppressive, whatever that means. Two rheums have been unable to explain how it works.

[Anonymous]

I think there are some older medications for auto immune issues that medical researchers haven't figured out why/how they work. Do you get regular colds etc. more often or more severely than others? That might be an indication of whether you're more susceptible to this, but it seems like there's very little guidance out there. I've been trying to figure out whether to request telework due to similar concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are some older medications for auto immune issues that medical researchers haven't figured out why/how they work. Do you get regular colds etc. more often or more severely than others? That might be an indication of whether you're more susceptible to this, but it seems like there's very little guidance out there. I've been trying to figure out whether to request telework due to similar concerns.

I have two young children (7/4) and I usually seem to get either milder versions of their colds or nothing, but when I got the flu last year almost ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. Antibiotics worked quickly enough that I was able to avoid it but I’ve never been sicker than that. I had had the flu shot and get it every year. My AI disease hasn’t been dx yet, though, so I wasn’t on immune suppressing therapy yet. I am SOOOO glad I’m not on prednisone right now, though! I spent much of this past year on high doses of that and would for sure be sheltering in place right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are some older medications for auto immune issues that medical researchers haven't figured out why/how they work. Do you get regular colds etc. more often or more severely than others? That might be an indication of whether you're more susceptible to this, but it seems like there's very little guidance out there. I've been trying to figure out whether to request telework due to similar concerns.

I have two young children (7/4) and I usually seem to get either milder versions of their colds or nothing, but when I got the flu last year almost ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. Antibiotics worked quickly enough that I was able to avoid it but I’ve never been sicker than that. I had had the flu shot and get it every year. My AI disease hasn’t been dx yet, though, so I wasn’t on immune suppressing therapy yet. I am SOOOO glad I’m not on prednisone right now, though! I spent much of this past year on high doses of that and would for sure be sheltering in place right now.

Should be hadn’t been DX

[Anonymous]

I’m on Humira and I wish I could find out more about this. Exactly how elevated is my risk? Anyway my plans are:

Make my kids change clothes, remove shoes, and wash hands when they come inside
I’m going to avoid grocery stores except maybe early in the morning
My kids’ friends aren’t allowed inside
I majorly upped my hand-washing game. My hands are cracked. I don’t know what to do about that.

I’m a SAHM so I don’t have to worry about work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m on Humira and I wish I could find out more about this. Exactly how elevated is my risk? Anyway my plans are:

Make my kids change clothes, remove shoes, and wash hands when they come inside
I’m going to avoid grocery stores except maybe early in the morning
My kids’ friends aren’t allowed inside
I majorly upped my hand-washing game. My hands are cracked. I don’t know what to do about that.

I’m a SAHM so I don’t have to worry about work.

And if I could find something that said that people on immunosuppressants are at elevated risk the same way older people are I would follow those instructions but I don’t think I am?

[Anonymous]

My child has asthma. He’s gotten pneumonia more then once and sometimes even just colds require a trip to the ER for breathing treatment. He last had pneumonia in the middle of summer.

I know we’re being told this isn’t harming kids as much, but I’m worried. Families from his school are still carrying on like NBD. One just got back from Disney. Another from Great Wolf Lodge.

Really torn on what I’m supposed to do for my kid. Pull him out of school? How would that work when there are supposedly no cases here. (VA)

[Anonymous]

I’d like to know this as well. I have cold symptoms with no fever and I went in for something recently and doctor put me on a corticosteroid. One comfort is that many young people who were affected very seriously had immune responses in overdrive...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has asthma. He’s gotten pneumonia more then once and sometimes even just colds require a trip to the ER for breathing treatment. He last had pneumonia in the middle of summer.

I know we’re being told this isn’t harming kids as much, but I’m worried. Families from his school are still carrying on like NBD. One just got back from Disney. Another from Great Wolf Lodge.

Really torn on what I’m supposed to do for my kid. Pull him out of school? How would that work when there are supposedly no cases here. (VA)

I feel for you. No, kids aren’t dying from it, but they still get sick and it’s still a big deal.

A child who is has an immunodeficiency moved into my daughters class. Since then, the teacher has been much more strict about hand washing and harps in doing so correctly, coughing into elbows, and all that. Maybe talk to the teacher about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d like to know this as well. I have cold symptoms with no fever and I went in for something recently and doctor put me on a corticosteroid. One comfort is that many young people who were affected very seriously had immune responses in overdrive...

Why did your doctor do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has asthma. He’s gotten pneumonia more then once and sometimes even just colds require a trip to the ER for breathing treatment. He last had pneumonia in the middle of summer.

I know we’re being told this isn’t harming kids as much, but I’m worried. Families from his school are still carrying on like NBD. One just got back from Disney. Another from Great Wolf Lodge.

Really torn on what I’m supposed to do for my kid. Pull him out of school? How would that work when there are supposedly no cases here. (VA)

I’m a preschool teacher with multiple underlying conditions. I have a student returning from a family trip to England on Monday and I’m terrified. Kids aren’t getting really sick and aren’t showing dramatic symptoms but are still believed to be carriers. The schools are what is going to spread this thing like wildfire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like to know this as well. I have cold symptoms with no fever and I went in for something recently and doctor put me on a corticosteroid. One comfort is that many young people who were affected very seriously had immune responses in overdrive...

Why did your doctor do that?

She’s guessing I have some inflammation in my chest/rib cage area. I’m kind of freaked out about taking the meds but I suspect my immune system has been in overdrive the past year as I’ve had lots of unrelated autoimmune symptoms so hopefully the dose will just bring immune function closer to normal rather than actual lower than normal.

I would love to hear if anyone has talked to their doctors about being on immunosuppressant drugs now. My guess is if they had no concerns about you taking the it during flu season, they aren’t acting any differently now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like to know this as well. I have cold symptoms with no fever and I went in for something recently and doctor put me on a corticosteroid. One comfort is that many young people who were affected very seriously had immune responses in overdrive...

Why did your doctor do that?

She’s guessing I have some inflammation in my chest/rib cage area. I’m kind of freaked out about taking the meds but I suspect my immune system has been in overdrive the past year as I’ve had lots of unrelated autoimmune symptoms so hopefully the dose will just bring immune function closer to normal rather than actual lower than normal.

I would love to hear if anyone has talked to their doctors about being on immunosuppressant drugs now. My guess is if they had no concerns about you taking the it during flu season, they aren’t acting any differently now.

That makes sense. What a bummer. Are the steroids helping?

I think you’re right about the last sentence, but I don’t think the advice totally makes sense because covid is more serious from a community health perspective. I will call my doctor on Monday.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, both of my kids' knuckles are split and bleeding because the school has really emphasized hand washing.

My DS has mild asthma and I don't know whether to worry or not. The messages have been so mixed and contradictory.