Queen Mary University of London biologists: people with allergies get COVID-19 less often
People with allergies, including asthma and fever eczema, have up to 40 percent less risk of contracting coronavirus, the results of the study were published in the journal Thorax.
Biologists from Queen Mary University of London studied data from 16,000 British adults from May 2020 to February 2021. Volunteers were asked to disclose information about their lifestyle – nutrition, rest, work, physical data such as weight, height, various diseases. During the study, COVID-19 was detected in three percent of people – 446 people.
A detailed analysis of the data revealed a defense mechanism: patients with atopic diseases, such as eczema and dermatitis caused by allergens, as well as hay fever or rhinitis 23 percent lower had a risk of contracting coronavirus.
In addition, asthma patients are 38 less likely to contract coronavirus, even when using steroid inhalers.
Scientists have clarified that people of Asian origin or those living in large families have a higher chance of contracting COVID-19.
The study was conducted before the delta or omicron variants were introduced. Therefore, it is not known whether allergic reactions protect against new strains. Co-author of the study, Professor Adrian Martino (Adrian Martino) expressed the hope that the study will be useful in the prevention of coronavirus.
Previously, experts from the Russian Association of Allergists and Clinical Immunologists said that allergic reactions to vaccines against COVID-19 rarely develop.