Australian Asthma Guidelines updated

Learn about the new updates, which aim help with patient management during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.


The National Asthma Council of Australia has updated their Australian Asthma Handbook, providing a new set of recommendations for the optimal management of patients with asthma during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Why the new update?
According to Prof Nick Zwar, the new Chair of the Guidelines Committee, the update is a necessary step to keep up with the evolution of treatment options and best practice.

“The National Asthma Council Australia and the Guidelines Committee take pride in keeping the content of the guidelines up to date, especially during the pandemic, to arm health professionals treating people with asthma with relevant and reliable information,” Prof Zwar told Medical Forum.

With the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic looming around us, the new guidelines are timely. Prof Zwar explains that the update on the COVID-19 page of the Handbook is important as the information about this disease is rapidly changing, as new evidence emerges.

We want to ensure that health professionals managing patients with asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic are equipped with the latest relevant information,” he said.

About the update
One of the key recommendations of this update advices GPs and other health professionals to ease the fears and doubts of their patients with regards to vaccination. Patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis should be reassured that their condition does not prevent them from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, nor does it increase their risk of adverse reactions. Patients receiving monoclonal antibody therapies should be advised that their therapy does not interfere with COVID-19 vaccination. Also, patients should not receive monoclonal antibody therapy on the same day as their COVID-19 vaccine so that, if there are side-effects, the cause will be easier to identify.

For patients using nebulisers or needing a spirometry or peak expiratory flow test, the new guidelines advices against their use. Nebulisers should not be used to administer inhaled medicines, unless strictly necessary, as they carry a high risk of transmitting viral infections. Nebulisers generate aerosol particles that can spread infectious agents for several metres and can remain airborne after the patient leaves. For spirometry, the respiratory plume of exhaled particles contains virus for several hours and surfaces may retain viruses for several days.

Learn more
For the complete list of updated asthma guidelines, go to this website:

https://www.asthmahandbook.org.au/management/covid-19-2

For further guidelines in the management of asthma, go to this website:

https://www.asthmahandbook.org.au/management