The Lancet Journal reports people with ‘poorly controlled diabetes and comorbidities’ are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 according to SCMP. And the global situation is worsening, with 463 million new cases in 2019. However all is not lost. We can diminish the COVID risk from poorly-controlled diabetes by implementing good medical practice and watching over our health.
COVID Risk from Poorly-Controlled Diabetes and Strained Facilities
WHO warns the global COVID rate of 52 million could be 700 million in reality, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP). Apparently dozens of countries may have anticipated this, and reallocated resources to COVID from other programs.
Add a natural fear of attending hospitals and clinics. And we could see ‘a heavy toll on healthcare systems and the global economy’ in future according to researchers. This is not good for those infected and affected by diabetes. Hence the Lancet Journal’s warning of an enhanced COVID risk, from poorly-controlled diabetes patients likely to be on the uptick.
World Diabetes Day Around the Corner on 14 December
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and World Health Organization (WHO) established World Diabetes Day in 1991. This was in response to a perceived escalating health threat at the time. The theme for 2020 is ‘The Nurse and Diabetes’. The campaign is reaching out to over a billion people in 160 countries.
The 2020 theme emphasizes nurses are the backbone of the global health workforce, and make up over half of it. We should therefore not become too distracted with COVID and neglect the need to invest more in healthcare and training to meet an increasing diabetes work load too.
Some 4.2 million people died from diabetes and its complications in 2019. That’s four times the total COVID-19 deaths to date, and it’s a global pandemic that has been with us for decades. We need a steady hand on this tiller, and a balanced approach to see us through.
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Preview Image: Our World in Data
