Researchers conducted this study to summarize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the course of pediatric allergy.
Given significant overlap in symptoms, researchers must take care to differentiate common allergic conditions from COVID-19 infection. Still, it appears that most allergic diseases are not risk factors for a severe COVID-19 course. The full impact of local allergy/immunology ambulatory services will take months to years to fully understand. One benefit of having to adapt practice style is greater awareness and acceptance of shared decision-making and recognition of preference-sensitive care options in food allergy, particularly for allergy prevention, treatment, and anaphylaxis care. Social distancing and masks have helped reduce the spread of common respiratory viruses. This may be helping to lower the incidence of viral-associated wheezing episodes, enhancing evidence of the effects of preventing exposure of young children to respiratory viruses on asthma pathogenesis and allergic rhinitis. There has been a revolution in the rise of telemedicine to increase access to high-quality allergy/immunology specialty care.
The study concluded that it is essential to apply lessons learned to evolve patient care and optimize treatment in the pandemic aftermath.
