Three people more at risk health conditions tell of
LAST July, Diane Phillips was diagnosed with COPD. Having a chronic health condition, it means that since coronavirus was first confirmed in Wales she has hardly left her home.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of lung conditions that causes breathing difficulties.
People with COPD may have emphysema, damage to the air sacs in the lungs and/or chronic bronchitis – long-term inflammation of the airways.
And having COPD makes any viral infection like the flu much, much worse.
“It is a massive worry to me as I have asthma and COPD,” said 54-year-old Diane, from Tonypandy in Rhondda.
“I’m more prone to coughs and colds and it goes straight onto my lungs, affecting my mobility and breathing.”
Diane said she has become so concerned she is only leaving her home for doctors and hospital appointments, and is constantly washing her hands and sanitising them. She said: “People who are healthy don’t have a clue how hard life can be for people who are generally not well in themselves. Ignorance is bliss.”
Diane, who lives with her husband, has eight grandchildren, and said she wants to make sure she is around to see them all grow up.
And she’s not alone.
Tracy Cross is a 48-year-old mum of two from Cardiff who lives with asthma, emphysema and COPD.
She expressed a similar sentiment to Diane, and said the lack of soap available in shops is already having an effect on her and her family.
All her conditions are respiratory, and even viruses like the flu can leave her needing steroids and antibiotics.
Tracy, who lives in Llanishen with her husband and children, said: “From my point of view it could eventually have a really bad effect on me, just like the flu can.
“I am more concerned that I could not get soap, some of the soaps are too strong for me.”
Tracy explained that her asthma can be set off by certain particles in some hand soaps, so she has become accustomed to using the same brand and type that she knows will not induce an asthma attack.
However, due to an increase in people buying hand soaps, and some shops being completely sold out, she has not been able to find her usual soap and is using antibacterial dish soap to wash her hands instead.
This has also been an issue for her family as both her children have autism and eczema, so it is important to stick with what they know.
Another frustration for Tracy is hearing people say that they are not worried, as mortality rates as a result of coronavirus are only high in those with existing health conditions.
She said: “I didn’t know for a long time that I had what I have. The reason I found out was there was a small time where I could not do much as I was so tired.”
After having an emergency Caesarean, Tracy found out she had COPD, and that the treatment for that condition upset her asthma, meaning she cannot successfully treat them both.
She stressed that her situation could happen to anyone, and that those who are saying the virus won’t affect them cannot be entirely confident of that.
“It is terrible because of the fact I feel like who is that going to really affect, me? But you might not know you have a respiratory condition. I am one of the lucky ones who found out when I did,” she said.
Tracy is concerned about reported instances like signs in pharmacies asking patients with coughs not to go in. She explained that for people like her, coughing is inevitable, and isn’t a sign of a virus.
Adrian Owens, an 81-year-old from Porthcawl, also stressed his concern at being unable to purchase any hand sanitiser as a person who could be more severely affected by the virus.
Adrian, who has a number of health conditions including asthma, polymyalgia, and a heart problem, said he was concerned after hearing the condition has the most impact on people like himself.
He said: “I went to Boots and they didn’t have any left and they told me they would have a delivery at 8.30am on Monday, but I can’t be out that early because of my conditions.
“It’s hard because by the time I get there they would be all gone.
“I only want one that I can share with my wife, just one. People say they should look after the elderly but if these things aren’t available to me then how can they?
“What can I do? I have tried everything,” he added.
The virus is not just worrying those with respiratory issues. Elis Power, 26, has a heart condition, and he is worried about the unknown impact on people like him.
As the virus is relatively new, Elis, from Bridgend, said there is a lot of uncertainty over how it will affect them.
“It doesn’t really affect me day to day, it is a genetic condition which affects the heart muscle,” explained Elis, whose dad died from the same condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, when Elis was just three.
“I am worried because we don’t know how this will affect people with my condition, it is bad enough when we have the flu.”
Elis, who works for South Wales Police, added: “I know a lot of people with this condition, and when we are ill it just amplifies our symptoms.
“If you’re ill your heart will work harder and it is the not knowing what that will do which worries me.”
Elis said he is following the usual precautions of washing his hands with soap as often as possible, joking that he would have bought hand sanitiser if he could find any.