Managing People with Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations for Health Providers, 3 June 2020

Abstract

Individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of developingvsevere symptoms and dying from COVID-19 than persons without diabetes. For examples, some studies show that approximately 20% of persons hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 have diabetes and approximately 26% of individuals who die from COVID-19 have diabetes. At the same time, however, individuals with diabetes are at increased risk of developing diabetes-related complications as a result of COVID-19-related restrictions. These complications include severe hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, skin and soft-tissue infections, and foot ulcers. The increased risk of complications is due to multiple factors: limited access to primary care services as a result of social distancing measures, disrupted access to chronic medications, challenges obtaining refill approvals, accessing pharmacies, and supply chain shortages. This is compounded by difficulty in adhering to healthy lifestyle during COVID-19 restrictions: limited physical activity and increased sedentary behavior, limited access to fruits and vegetables, and overall greater food insecurity. Primary care health centers and providers who care for individuals with diabetes have an important role to play in ensuring continued access to care, reduced risk of infection, and appropriately managing patients with these comorbidities who acquire COVID-19. The following are considerations for the management of people with diabetes in the era of COVID-19...