I'm a bit confused about the asthma part of covid-19. My work do have the ability for me to WFH, although they are trying to get as much people in to the office as possible and at present it has been agreed but this could change and anytime and I want to make sure before I insist on doing it, I have the right to.
The list issued by the govt (also my employer) says severe asthma means requiring hospital visits or steroid tablets.
Right now the only inhaler I take is the qvar daily and ventolin when needed. However, in the last 4-5 months I've had several doses of steroid tablets and also a hospital visit for a nebuliser. Prior to this though I was controlled for around 10 years! So am I classed as severe asthma? Based on that stint? Or in the not high risk category?
I called the NHS covid line yesterday and she said I was vulnerable and if I can WFH do but if not as long as I'm showing no symptoms I'm fine to go to work 🤷....so confused
Thanks x
Written by
Posingcookie
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I definitely wouldn’t class you as severe, no. Can only guess from what you’ve told us, but if your asthma is normally well-controlled by qvar & ventolin, I’d call that fairly mild, but with a few recent flare-ups
You are entitled to a free flu jab, so you are considered vulnerable.
Well anyone who has asthma is considered to be in the vulnerable category and should be stringently following he social distancing guidelines, which includes working from home wherever possible. Anyone who is in the severe category (and there is some confusion as to who that includes) will be contacted to be advised about extra measures.
As others have said, you sound like you fall into the first category. But the current advice is that ANYONE who can possibly wfh should do so. Point this out to your employer?
My "thing" is that the government description of severe is rubbish. Saying "hospital admissions" and "courses of steroids" in the same description is very unhelpful as it's very wide ranging and a couple of steroid courses is just not the same as actual classified severe asthma (which, prior to this, was uncontrolled or difficult to control despite being on high levels of medication. Also usually diagnosed by specialist centres.) Of course "courses of steroids" might be many many courses, which would fit more with asthma being difficult to control, but we just don't know.
Asthma UK update says more info will follow but I guess it depends if they use their own description of severe.....or the government's strange one.
As others have said, virtually all asthmatics are vulnerable and I guess for now we have to go with that and use our own knowledge of our own condition within that. I realise that's why people are asking others for help though 🙈 especially where work is concerned.
A teacher friend would be classified as vulnerable but, after a long chat with her GP, she was advised to work from home because although her asthma is pretty well controlled now, she has a history of exacerbations due to viral infections. Work accepted this completely. So I reckon for many it's got to be an individual thing.
My GP says I'll be fine to work as long as I can social distance, but the government says I qualify for a free flu jab so should be isolating for 12 weeks. I work in a supermarket, and this week we have been absolutely packed with people not following the rules of social distancing etc. I'm afraid for what's to come
I thought those who qualified for a flu jag were listen amongst those who should look at isolating for the 12 week period? I cant socially distance, I am unfortunately relying on the general public to be kind and unselfish enough to think of others.
It sounded like that when they first announced it but when they published the actual advice it was different. But yeah it is a little difficult with your job to distance
This is the link to the official guidance which is updated regularly:
It's not just difficult, social distancing in my work is impossible. Between folk shouting at me in aisles and leaning over the checkouts to pay, with no regard for the lines that have been taped to the floor. I've no doubt I'm going to 3nd up with it I just need to hope I can cope. At home it's much easier thankfully
Hi Carriejen, May I firstly say a big ‘thank you’ for all the hard work you and all supermarket workers are doing, I work for the NHS (not on the front line) and it’s great we’re being thanked by many many areas but so should you be, after all supermarket workers cannot WFH and (unfortunately) today in Britain it is deemed OK to take frustrations out on others who are just doing their job. NOT NICE & NOT FAIR!! But thank you once again, after all you are keeping us going with all you supply, food, drink and household necessities.
Anyway I too have a lung condition, have monthly injection, 2 asthma pumps taken daily and the general pumps which is used as and when. The main boss told me to WFH but line manager not so keen on me doing this and making it difficult, I currently am struggling to walk but am going to work. In answer to your question you have to do what you feel is right and then be assertive accordingly.
Thank you for your kindness. I cried yesterday when a man was polite to me haha. We are all under so much pressure right now and it is absolutely mad. I feel like we are living in some sort of a nightmare. Please don't feel pressured from your line manager if you have support from their boss. Take care of yourself
Every time I get flu or even a cold nowadays I get pneumonia. There's often blood and it lasts for weeks if not months- how ill exactly do you have to be to qualify?
It seems to differ for everyone. A girl I know, who has similar asthma to myself has been signed off from my work for 12 weeks. I would contact your GP if you are worried. They will apparently start contacting those who NEED to isolate from this week though.
Thanks folks! I should have pointed out that I'm classed as a "key worker" but I think I'm low down on the category. there's many people in my business due to the size that don't match the vulnerable criteria so although they'd like me to work they're not on a skeleton shift and for now they've approve it. Just knowing how they are though, I'm aware this can change at any point so I just want to find out more on whether I'm being reasonable in requesting to stay at home.
Although my asthma was controlled in the years leading to the last few months, I've never had it as bad so it's been a very scary eye-opener....and health wise the last 7 months has been a really bad time (not just asthma) so I'm very health anxious.
I’m in a similar confusion - currently on oral steroids but was asked by work if this was a short course (which means I don’t qualify for 12 weeks paid leave) or long term. They were meant as a short course but I’ve been them for nearly 4weeks now and although the plan is to reduce and stop i am struggling to get below 30mg daily. My immediate boss was quite nice and said he thought I would qualify but that it was ultimately the company’s decision and maybe I should seek clarification from my doctor - I can’t even get through to my doctor on the phone and if I did I don’t think they’d either a. Know the answer or b. Be very happy with me bothering them at this busy time.
I’m so worried work might try and force me to come in and do some impossible ‘social distancing’ when at work the room that 2-4 of us work in at any given time is less 2 by 3 meters. Even if it was possible to do something in another room other people would need to come in and out to get things and I know I would be put under a lot of emotional pressure to break quarantine and help‘properly’ when they’re so busy.
Im a bit confused too, about severe asthma definition. I had upto two weeks ago been pretty much sympton free from asthma since Jan 2018. But I am on Montelukast, fexofenadine and flutiform. Two weeks got a cold virus, umpteenth one since January and was possibly last straw for me. Immune system went into hyper drive and developed my usual asthma symptoms. With me symptoms are then hard to get under control and I can end up with symptoms lasting weeks. Just coming through a short course of steroids at the moment. However, whilst symptoms eased, still struggling, tight chest, short of breath, coughing, and low peak flow.
I wouldn't ordinarily say I've got severe asthma, because it's not constant, but it's difficult to control when I do get.
I think best thing can do is see if are contacted next week. If I'm not then I may contact my doctor, to see what her advice is.
Oddly enough I have been given emergency doses of steroids after my manager forced me to go to the doctor driving me there herself but I do NOT have an official diagnosis of asthma, let alone severe asthma, so I've not bothered moaning to the GP about my loud wheezing and barking cough and vomiting from it. It's hard to say whether you NEED the steroids or hospital visit if some might just suffer through it unless you actually lose consciousness from lack of oxygen.
Regardless of whether you have an official disgnosis of asthma or not you should be contacting your GP surgery for advice ideally by phoning first with loud wheezing, barking cough and vomiting. Wh do you consider it "moaning" Just for clarification did you go to work when you were vomiting?
Yes I was at work. This is not an uncommon occurrence for me and this is the first time a manager has told me to go to the doctor whereas I have vomited right in front of other employers who either cringed and tried to ignore it or dismissed me, but my DLA was stopped, PIP denied despite a raft of other problems (autistic, chronic pain, severe depression and anxiety- have self harmed on the job) and yes I have told several employers this and it is either suffer through it or be homeless again. I started this job to get away from being a sex slave/domestic slave for a supermorbidly obese man after I was last made homeless, I am one of 3 members of staff on site during the lockdown so I have to keep going. I have emailed my GP ranting and raving about how sick I am when my prescription request hadn’t been done after 12 days, meaning I was off my omeprozole AND my antihistamines and we all know what acid reflux and allergies do to an asthmatic. I have broken down in tears andhd to show the GP text messages on my phone because I couldn’t speak but I have never been signed off work, therefore denied any sort of outside support and deemed perfectly fit. Meanwhile I’m barely functional and haven’t even showered in months or washed my hair in years because it’s too painful to hold my arms like that, stand that long in one place and I'm tired or my chest gets crushed bending over the bath or sink. Have begged charities like Wimens Aid, Mind,Scope etc, citizens advice and social services for help and even with police involvement after all the domestic violence and sexual abuse I’ve suffered on top of dealing with chronic pain, fatigue and other health problems since I was 15 (I’m 27) apparently I’m just fine. Victim Support won’t even answer my texts or emails anymore. Social services have done nothing since being referred by several people over the years including more recently every month in the last 10 months Sam i get passed from organisiation to organisation. I’m not signing up for the extra support from the government because they make a distinction for severe asthma and there is no clear definition for that. Mine does get triggered very quickly though, one minute I can be fine and the next it is a barking cough and whistling air out of me. I’ve had pneumonia more times than I can count filling basins up with blood from my lungs but I was on holiday in Exmoor and my partner at the time didn’t take me to the hospital so I’ve not been hospitalised over respiratory problems, though so did get swine flu in 2009 and was in hospital for 2 weeks same with a few other bouts of flu but was never on a ventilator or used a nebuliser etc. If I’ve been left to get on with it so many times then I assumed I’m meant to be coping even if so don’t feel like it.
Hi there! I’ve been told to work from home- I don’t have severe asthma as per the usual definition, however I am under a specialist for ‘difficult to control’ asthma. Essentially I think it’s on a case by case basis. My work place were happy to accept ‘evidence’ in the form of appointment letters from the specialist etc. I think anyone with asthma should be working from home if they are able, and anyone prone to exacerbations, severe or not, should be making their case heard! Stay safe everyone!
I don't have many hospital admissions but need many long courses of pred and get alot of chest infections, I am also under the royal Brompton and had pneumonia over Christmas. i have been this way for 17 years and take alot of asthma meds. Not sure if this classes me as severe but I'm on high dose pred atm so don't really want to take my chances.
I too, am at a loss to know what to do. The replies to you OP have been helpful.
My own situation is this: I'm a bus driver, so, like the supermarket workers, the distancing theory doesn't work so well. I have Asthma and take DuoResp Spiromax twice or more daily. I'm prone to pleurisy and was ill for 3 weeks last year with Flu symptoms, the Flu jab meant I didn't get the full on flu. I was on steroids etc for two weeks. My GP tells me I can't have steroids anymore because of contraindications with another drug. I've been given antibiotics as a rescue resource if needed.
My problem: do I self-isolate or carry on working? Obviously money comes into question too, will I qualify for 80% wages or just SSP. I've only been with the company for 6 months.
I think they have changed the advice because they are worried about all the employees that would be self-isolating for twelve weeks. My understanding was that if there were other health conditions known as comorbidites this would affect matters. Also if someone is classified as obese that would impact on things. Either wait for the letter or ring asthma uk. Everyones individual circumstances are different.
It is my understanding that there is a registry of severe asthma patients, so maybe the nhs will be using this list of people and contacting them.
You would likely know if you have been given a diagnosis of severe asthma. It would be on a letter from the consultant.
I am working from home but finding it very stressful. Stress is a major trigger for me as I have a severe asthma diagnosis I am wondering if I can claim occupational sick pay under the circumstances?
I am a zero hours specialist support worker for neuro-diverse students. I only get paid if the people I support can now manage this support remotely. I usually see them at the same time every week face to face. Most of them really struggle to cope with any change and are therefore not engaging with their usual support. Those that are, are then failing to confirm by email that they have had remote support which means I don't get paid. (Usually, I just need their signature.) So, no, I am not getting paid ... even for work I have done and certainly not for the hours of work I have lost due to the change in how support is delivered.
Yeah, my line manager told me to keep my chin up!!! Seriously!!!
My other work is within the holiday sector and freelance work like giving poetry readings and tutorials ... so that's kinda dried up too ...
I have SREA, for which stress is a major trigger ... so, unfortunately, I have had to start a course of steroids this morning because my asthma symptoms have flared up massively these last few days.
The problem is Asthma is lung disease that can be so easily triggered, from allergies, to exercise, even cold air 😕 And this being a respiratory virus I would say high risk just to be safe
I see they've updated the gov.uk website for social distancing to say long term respiratory diseases including asthma - no mention in this section for admissions or steroids so I'm hoping this is enough for me to continue WFH, especially when i can. It's not as if I'm having a holiday to myself, I'm also educating my 5 year old!
Have a look at the asthma UK Facebook page/website. It has a list of medications And dosages that are classed for severe asthma. It also has very useful information that might help you with your query .
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
as I have a severe asthma diagnosis I am wondering if I can claim occupational sick pay under the circumstances?
because my asthma symptoms have flared up massively these last few days.
Questions about severe asthma 
Asthma worsened after Covid and confused about what GP said.
Asthma after Covid
Severe asthma 
Non-severe asthma and job application
