What are the recommendations for patients suffering from allergic rhinitis during the COVID-19 pandemic?
There is no scientific evidence that treatments for allergic rhinitis either increase susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection or the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, allergen avoidance measures, nasal saline douches, and background controller therapies recommended by current guidelines for allergic rhinitis, such as nasal corticosteroids or second-generation H1-blockers, should be continued as prescribed, both in non-infected and COVID-19 diagnosed patients.108,116 Such treatments can help reduce the spreading of an eventual SARS-CoV-2 infection by targeting characteristic clinical features of allergic rhinitis, such as sneezing and rhinorrhea, and might prevent unnecessary visits to physicians and emergency departments. Specific recommendations apply to patients with allergic rhinitis treated with AIT or biologics. These therapies should be suspended in COVID-19 diagnosed patients or suspected cases for SARS-CoV-2 infection until resolution of the disease is established (e.g. via a negative SARS-CoV-2 test in connection with clinical recovery).108,118