Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious
viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has various effects on
asthma,
allergic rhinitis,
atopic dermatitis, and
urticaria and may change the course of the disease depending on the severity of the
infection and control status of the disease. Conversely, these diseases may also impact the course of
COVID-19. Patients with
chronic urticaria and
atopic dermatitis may have COVID-19-induced disease exacerbations and biological treatments reduce the risk of exacerbations. Poor
asthma control is linked to severe
COVID-19 while allergic
asthma is associated with lower risk of death and a lower rate of hospitalization due to
COVID-19 compared with nonallergic
asthma. The use of intranasal
corticosteroids is associated with lower rates of hospitalization due to
COVID-19 in patients with
allergic rhinitis, whereas the effect of inhaled
corticosteroids is confounded by
asthma severity. These observations reinforce the importance of keeping allergic diseases under control during pandemics. The use of biologicals during
COVID-19 is generally regarded as safe, but more evidence is needed. The pandemic substantially changed the management of allergic disorders such as home implementation of various biologicals, allergen immunotherapy, food introduction, and increased use of telemedicine and even home management of
anaphylaxis to reduce emergency department burden and reduce risk of
infection. Physicians need to be aware of the potential impact of
COVID-19 on allergic diseases and educate their patients on the importance of continuing prescribed medications and adhering to their treatment plans to maintain optimal control of their disease.