1800 278 462
Asthma Australia has been referenced in a brochure, “Covid-19 vaccinations for children: What is the right choice? Top 10 Reasons to stop, think & consider” by US run organisation, Children’s Health Defense® – Australia Chapter.
Asthma Australia is not affiliated with this organisation or any organisation that promotes an anti-vaccination message towards COVID-19.
The Children’s Health Defense® references a credible and peer reviewed study commissioned by Asthma Australia about Covid-19 risk in people with asthma, which they are using as collateral for their anti-vaccination message.
The global study commissioned by Asthma Australia completed by the George Institute of Global Health reviewed 58 peer-reviewed publications from across the world, capturing the data of half a million people who have contracted COVID-19 from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, to see if they could answer the question if people with asthma are more at risk of acquiring COVID-19 or of poorer outcomes.
The findings from this study suggest that people with asthma don’t appear to be at greater risk of acquiring COVID-19 than the rest of the population.
OUR STANCE
Asthma Australia strongly supports the COVID-19 vaccination program being rolled out in Australia and the advice found on the Australian Government’s website.
People with asthma, including people with severe asthma, should feel confident about accessing these vaccines alongside other Australians.
Should you still have questions and concerns about the vaccine and your asthma management, we encourage you to speak with your doctor, call one of our Asthma Educators on 1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462) and take a look at the information available on the government website https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines
You can also find an FAQ via the COVID-19 vaccine FAQs page on our website that is the result of a thorough questionnaire we conducted. We asked what questions and concerns people with asthma had when it came to the COVID-19 vaccine.
For people with asthma, we know that protective measures such as good personal hygiene practices and staying up to date with vaccines, which are part of your current asthma plan will protect you from other viruses that may be circulating, which are usually problematic for asthma control and can lead to flare-ups.