• COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a new disease caused by the coronavirus family of viruses¹

• The virus can be transmitted person-to-person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are spread when a person with COVID-19 sneezes, coughs, or exhales^2,3

• The World Health Organization (WHO) have provided more information on the origin of coronavirus and how the virus spreads²

• Watch a video interview with an expert in respiratory disease about the current and future status of the coronavirus pandemic (as of 8 April 2020)⁴

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, tiredness, and dry cough⁵

Some people may develop severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing that require urgent medical attention⁵

More information on the symptoms of COVID-19, including the emergency warning signs, has been provided by WHO⁵ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)⁶

• Patients with any chronic health condition are considered to be at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19⁷

• This includes patients with chronic respiratory conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis⁸

• Find out further information aimed at patients with pulmonary fibrosis, provided by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF)⁸

• To hear how the PFF is responding to the needs of the pulmonary fibrosis community during the coronavirus outbreak, watch this webinar called ‘PFF response to COVID-19’⁹

• The European Lung Foundation (ELF) have posed frequently asked questions to a respiratory expert, in which they discuss the overlapping symptoms of chronic respiratory conditions and COVID-19 (navigate to the ‘general’ tab)¹⁰

• If you have any concerns about your symptoms, contact your local healthcare department⁸

• If you have any concerns about your regular medications or appointments, contact your local healthcare department for guidance that is specific to your condition and the region in which you live⁸

• Both the PFF (in the common questions section)⁸ and ELF (located in the ‘medical appointments’ section)¹⁰ have provided guidance on travelling to routine appointments

• Some healthcare departments may be conducting routine appointments over the telephone, so it may be advisable to contact your healthcare provider in advance of your appointment to find out whether you need to attend in person¹⁰

• Follow the guidelines of your national healthcare system, as advice may vary depending on your region¹⁰

• Additional advice is available on personal and home hygiene, and social distancing; from the CDC,¹¹ and the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)¹²

• Read about the most effective way to wash your hands.¹³ Alternatively, you can watch a video showing you how¹⁴

• Watch the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) talk about how touching your face increases the risk of infection, why people do it and how we can prevent it¹⁵

• Learn more about the differences between social distancing, isolation and quarantine, from the CDC,¹⁶ and ECDC¹⁷

• To find out if you should be social distancing or self-isolating, follow the guidelines of your national healthcare system, as advice may vary depending on your region¹⁰

• For patients with chronic respiratory conditions, ELF have provided advice on social distancing and self-isolation (navigating to the ‘General’ tab)¹⁰

• Stay up to date with national guidance, or contact your doctor to determine whether you need to wear a face mask¹⁰

• If you are required to wear a face mask, it is important that you are familiar with its correct use and disposal¹⁸

• Find further information and videos from WHO on how to wear a face mask¹⁸

• Testing for COVID-19 depends on the stage of the outbreak in the country or area where you live³

• If you are experiencing symptoms, call your doctor – if they believe that you require a laboratory test for COVID-19 they will inform you of the procedure to follow and advise where and how the test can be performed³

• If you think you may have been exposed to coronavirus, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, contact your local health department and follow their guidance¹⁹

• After speaking with your doctor you may be advised that you can manage your symptoms at home; WHO has provided further information if you have been told by a healthcare professional to stay at home²⁰

• Learn more from the CDC on what to do if you are sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19¹⁹

1. European Lung Foundation. COVID-19. Available at: 

   https://www.europeanlung.org/en/lung-disease-and-information/covid-19 [Accessed March 2022].

2. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 [Accessed March 2022].

3. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Questions and answers on COVID-19. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/questions-answers [Accessed March 2022].

4. European Lung Foundation. COVID-19 questions with an expert video. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLSUtyKgbCY&t=149s [Accessed March 2022].

5. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_3 [Accessed March 2022].

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of COVID-19. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html [Accessed March 2022].

7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What you can do if you are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID19-What-You-Can-Do-High-Risk.pdf [Accessed March 2022].

8. Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. COVID-19 FAQs. Available at: https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/about-us/news-and-media/news/article/2021/03/10/covid-19-faqs [Accessed March 2022].

9. Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. PFF Response to COVID-19 video. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6aBFrve3-U [Accessed March 2022].

10. European Lung Foundation. COVID-19 and lung disease Q&A. Available at: https://europeanlung.org/en/information-hub/covid-19-and-lung-disease-qa/ [Accessed March 2020].

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to Protect Yourself & Others. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Fprevention.html [Accessed March 2022].

12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. How to minimise the spread of COVID-19? Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/images/COVID-19-NPC-infographic%5b1%5d.png [Accessed March 2022].

13. World Health Organization. Hand Hygiene. When and How. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/integrated-health-services-(ihs)/infection-prevention-and-control/hand-hygiene-when-and-how-leaflet.pdf?sfvrsn=a92dc108_2 [Accessed March 2022].

14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clean Hands Count (video). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzkNSzqmUSY [Accessed March 2022].

15. BBC News. Coronavirus: Why we touch our faces and how to stop it (video). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sxI7s8p99o [Accessed March 2022].

16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to Protect Yourself & Others. Stay 6 feet away from others. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html [Accessed March 2022].

17. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Isolation and Quarantine Leaflet. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Leaflet-Covid-19_Isolation-and-quarantine.pdf [Accessed March 2022].

18. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: When and how to use mask Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks [Accessed March 2022].

19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What to do if you are sick. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html [Accessed March 2022].

20. World Health Organization. Home care for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Available at: https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/risk-communications/home-care-posters/home-care-ill-people-a4-covid.png [Accessed March 2022].