INTERVIEW
The coronavirus epidemic is particularly dangerous for certain categories of the population such as the elderly, patients with chronic illness or even diabetics. Doctor Boris Hansel, diabetologist at Bichat hospital in Paris, was on Europe 1, in Sans Rendez-vous, to detail the situation of diabetics.
First, diabetics are no more likely than others to get the virus, but if they do, "the risk of severe infection is higher," says Boris Hansel. The diabetologist specifies that the risk of severe infection and death is even multiplied by a figure "between two and three".
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In France, diabetics represent 5% of the total population. And if the risk is increased, it is not for all diabetics. "The risk mainly concerns diabetics on insulin and unbalanced, that is to say whose treatment is not necessarily adapted, and diabetics who have associated pathologies, cardiac or respiratory complications for example", specifies Boris Hansel .
"Diabetics will not necessarily get seriously ill"
Furthermore, massive obesity is "a risk factor in itself". "People with a very high body mass index also have an increased risk," says the diabetologist. Logically, people with diabetes, in addition to obesity, are particularly vulnerable.
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In all cases, "it is not because we are diabetic that we will necessarily fall seriously ill with the coronavirus," reassures Boris Hansel. "We must apply the same preventions as for the population, with a little more vigilance."
An online service has been set up to help people with diabetes. It is a collaborative project led by diabetes specialists, available on the website www.covidiab.fr. The goal is to provide reliable information in real time to all diabetic fragile patients who ask questions, "and also to accompany them in this difficult period of epidemic", concludes the diabetologist.