The COVID19 pandemic - Perspectives from people living with diabetes

During the unprecedented times of the COVID 19 pandemic, the lives of people with diabetes have been severely impacted. This article discusses the extent of this impact presenting the obstacles and challenges from the perspective of the patient, including specifics of practical day-to-day diabetes self-management routines. Since the COVID19 outbreak, certain psychosocial factors have been amplified due to the manner in which mainstream media and policy makers have carelessly emphasized the vulnerability of people with diabetes. The authors discuss the increased importance of support networks due to people living in isolation and quarantine. A new layer of complexity has been added to the already difficult task of managing one's diabetes and it has increased anxiety and stress levels. Guidelines and tips for people living with diabetes are discussed based on the authors' personal experiences as well as those of the diabetes associations they work with. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.