Savvy T1 and COVID-19: Dr. Anne Peters, JDRF, Dr. Mary Pat Gallagher and Dr. Richard Bernstein

Voices of wisdom about Coronavirus and Type 1 diabetes. Lots of input … take from this what feels right to you. Stay healthy, wash your hands often, don’t touch your face and stay in.

‘Everyone With Diabetes’ Must Prepare for COVID-19 was published on Medscape.com, 11 March 2020.

I try to be realistic and comforting where I can, and to help people be prepared so they can deal with their diabetes during times of illness. Everyone with diabetes needs to prepare. In addition to what we’ve all heard about social distancing, hand washing, and all the measures that everyone needs to follow, people with diabetes need to be sure that they have their medications available with as many refills as possible.

It would be ideal if patients could get extra so that they have an extra supply of medications, but for many, that is not possible. As healthcare providers, we need to be sure that as we’re prescribing medications and renewing them, we give people as many refills as possible so they can continue getting their medications.

It’s useful to have medications that are delivered by mail so patients can avoid going to the pharmacy in person. If there is a true epidemic and healthcare providers become overwhelmed with people who are sick, people with diabetes who take insulin need to remember that they can always get vials of NPH and regular insulin at Walmart without a prescription.

In addition to medications, patients need to be sure that they have a blood glucose meter and test strips at home, even if they have a continuous glucose monitor, so they can test their blood glucose levels if they become ill.

Answering Your Questions on Coronavirus was published by JDRF, Life with T1D, 24 March 2020. Every day, we receive a flurry of questions from our type 1 diabetes (T1D) community about the coronavirus and what it means for those of us living with T1D. Throughout this pandemic, we will share the Top Ten Questions and responses from experts in the field.

Here is nationally renowned endocrinologist Dr. Mary Pat Gallagher, director of pediatric diabetes at the Pediatric Diabetes Center at Hassenfeld Hospital at New York University, Langone. She spoke with JDRF on March 24 via Facebook Live:

“I can understand the confusion. The CDC, and the World Health Organization, and the American Diabetes Association…all mention that there are certain conditions that put you at increased risk or higher risk for severe illness. And diabetes is on that list.

When you don’t separate out what type of diabetes a person has, and you don’t separate them by age, and you don’t separate them by other medical conditions that also occur, and you don’t separate by their glycemic control—you just take everyone in one pot—people with diabetes are hospitalized more often, with COVID-19 as well as other respiratory illnesses, and, they have a higher fatality rate.

However, if we do control for all of those things. For age, for other types of diagnoses that occur, it changes things dramatically. What we know about COVID-19, is that it seems that [those with T1D] are equally [not more] susceptible.”

Dr. Bernstein: Coronavirus Danger to People with Diabetes is Real was written by Ross Wollen for ASweetLife.org, 25 March 2020.

Dr. Richard Bernstein has a very clear message for people with diabetes: avoid coronavirus as much as possible and for as long as possible. The danger to people with diabetes – both from coronavirus itself and from the resultant stress placed on the healthcare system – is real.

“It’s much better to avoid getting infected than attempting to treat the infection, and to do that you need total isolation.

Noting the extreme speed with which the pandemic has developed – “what I’m telling you today could well be outdated within a week” – Dr. Bernstein went on to describe COVID-19 as a very serious peril for people with Types 1 & 2 diabetes.

“I think that we have to do the maximum to not get infected. And that means not only adhering to what the local authorities tell you to do, but anticipating the local authorities, staying away from other people, especially if you’re in a locality where there are cases of COVID-19 within 20 miles of your home. You shouldn’t go to stores. Don’t invite people to your homes, don’t visit other people. Even other family members in other homes, stay away from them.”