People with asthma are 30 % less likely to contract COVID-19, study says

People who experience asthma are 30 percent less likely to contract Covid-19, according to a new research paper.

In a 37,000-strong cohort, Israeli experts found a higher proportion of people with asthma in the group who tested negative for coronavirus than those who tested positive.

That suggests various factors to do with the common lung condition are somehow nullifying the virus's effects or keeping it from replicating.

The study authors suggest it could be thanks to anti-inflammatory medicine called corticosteroids, usually administered by inhalers.

The team stress, however, that asthma patients should continue taking recommended medication during the pandemic.

'Bronchial asthma has not been adequately assessed in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19),' said the team from Tel-Aviv University in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

'We observed lower Covid-19 susceptibility in patients with pre-existing asthma.'

Researchers suggest three main theories for why people with asthma are less likely to test positive for Covid-19, as explained by study author Dr. Eugene Merzon to the Jerusalem Post.

Firstly, the difference may be sociological – because people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, in particular, have been strongly warned about the dangers of exposing themselves to the virus, they've been extra vigilant.