When Elise Monge from Calwell got a severe attack of asthma, she found her entry to hospital barred by Covid rules.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The pre-entry questionnaire asked about "shortness of breath", a symptom of Covid which is also exactly what asthmatics have.
Because she answered truthfully, she was told she couldn't enter and that made the asthma attack worse.
"I ticked shortness of breath as a symptom and the website deemed that I could not enter the hospital and I needed to go to a Covid clinic.
"I don't want others to go through what I have. Eventually I made it through and was treated in the Covid ward, but the COVID-19 test escalated my asthma," she said.
"It was a horrible experience. I can't urge people enough, get ahead of the spring season now.
"Going to hospital or getting sick with asthma will create so much extra stress right now."
Asthma Australia said that it was a common problem.
COVID-19 NEWS:
Asthmatics were finding it difficult to access healthcare, or being turned away due to the similarities between asthma and COVID-19 symptoms.
The organisation's chief executive Michele Goldman fears that the extra tension could provoke more attacks demanding hospital treatment.
"More than one in five Australians suffer from spring allergies and with a high proportion living with asthma, that's a lot of people sneezing, coughing and getting short of breath," she said.
In a survey done for Asthma Australia, 1260 people were asked about their access to healthcare in the last three months.
According to the organisation, the survey showed that some had put off going to the doctor due to previous negative experiences, not wanting to have a COVID-19 test or because it was just too difficult.
The organisation said 30 per cent reported they were unable to see their GP in person until they returned a negative Covid test.
Nearly half had put off going to their usual GP because their asthma symptoms seemed to outsiders like Covid.
This had led to people to either avoiding or being unable to access early treatment.
"They've told us they feel frustrated, discouraged, embarrassed, anxious, let down, and not listened to - like their asthma is not important," Ms Goldman said.
"I encourage people to be insistent on at least a telehealth appointment or visit a pharmacist and actively discuss your seasonal allergies and asthma."
The warning comes as experts say that the spring is likely to see "extreme levels of pollen from cypress pine trees in the Canberra region".
The ANU's Professor Simon Haberle who leads a team which tracks daily pollen levels says the high count is "a clear sign allergy sufferers can expect a congested season ahead".
"This is perhaps an indication of another bumper year for airborne pollen in and around the ACT," Professor Haberle said.
"A combination of the warming weather, a wet winter with high soil moisture and windy days are all signs that are pointing to another record pollen season."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
