Connect with others who understand.

sign up log in
Resources
About MyVitiligoTeam
Powered By

Keeping Safe From COVID-19 With Vitiligo

Posted on March 20, 2020
View reactions
Article written by
Kelly Crumrin

Those of us living with pre-existing health conditions such as vitiligo have likely felt the impact of COVID-19. Medical appointments may have been rescheduled or switched to virtual, work and school may be closed, and we may worry about how the illness will impact ourselves and our loved ones.

Fortunately, social distancing is a powerful tool to slow or prevent the spread of infection. Social distancing only works when everyone stays home and limits their contact with others.

When Friends or Family Aren't Worried

Some of us have family members or friends who think the threat of the virus is being blown out of proportion. They may pressure you to join in activities as usual or become upset when you cancel plans to help keep yourself and your community safe during this high-risk time.

Here are some tactics that may help you talk to them about why health — yours, theirs, and the community's — should be everyone's first priority right now.

Have a Heart-to-Heart

Ask them to walk in your shoes. Ask them to imagine what you and others with health conditions are going through. Maybe your loved one thinks they will be fine, but you may be more vulnerable to being impacted. If your doctors have canceled or modified appointments, share how your medical care is being affected. While vitiligo and vitiligo treatment are unlikely to increase your risk for complications from COVID-19, you may have other health conditions that impact your risk.

Show Them the Numbers

According to research on COVID-19 in China, people who had one additional disease — from diabetes to cardiovascular disease to cancer — had a 79 percent higher risk of requiring intensive care, needing a respirator, or dying as a result of the coronavirus infection.

Six in 10 adults in America have at least one chronic illness.

Put It Into Perspective

The threat of COVID-19 was deemed serious enough to affect major institutions:

  • Walt Disney World and Disneyland are closed. These attractions have previously only closed for disasters such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy or the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
  • Las Vegas Strip casinos including Bellagio, MGM Grand, The Mirage, Wynn Las Vegas, and Wynn Encore are closing.
  • The NBA has suspended the professional basketball season.
  • MLB has ended its training season and pushed back the start of baseball season at least two weeks.
  • The 2020 Summer Olympics may be canceled or postponed.

These organizations are prioritizing public health over the hundreds of millions of dollars (or more) they will lose by closing. If we can stay home, we should stay home.

Use Peer Pressure

If you have any other friends or family who are taking the coronavirus threat seriously, ask them to talk to that loved one on your behalf. Social distancing only works if everyone is on board.

Distance Doesn't Mean Isolation

As our families, communities, and countries make it through this pandemic together, it's more important than ever to find ways to stay connected. Here are a few suggestions for ways to socialize from a safe distance.

  • Phone calls. Being stuck at home is a great time to call people and catch up.
  • Video gatherings. FaceTime or apps like Zoom or Skype allow you to see and hear each other, no matter how distant, on mobile phone, tablet, or computer. You can even have a party with dozens of people on screen.
  • Gaming apps. Many mobile gaming apps allow you to connect and play with friends remotely.
  • Movie night. Cue up the same movie or show (whether on a streaming service or a DVD you both have) and stay on the phone or on video chat the whole time. You can even plan to eat the same snack while you watch and talk.
  • Listening party. Music apps, such as Spotify, allow people to share music playlists and even collaborate to create lists of songs.

MyVitiligoTeam is another way our growing community of members living with vitiligo stays strong together. Here is a conversation about how members of MyVitiligoTeam are getting through this difficult time:

Have you found ways to talk to your loved ones about COVID-19 safety measures? What are you doing to stay connected to others during this time of heightened concern and social distancing? Share in the comments below or post on MyVitiligoTeam.

Posted on March 20, 2020
View reactions
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.
Kelly Crumrin is a senior editor at MyHealthTeam and leads the creation of content that educates and empowers people with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her here.

Related articles

You can use several methods to measure the extent of your vitiligo over time.Taking a series of ...

How To Track Your Vitiligo Progression Over Time

You can use several methods to measure the extent of your vitiligo over time.Taking a series of ...
Vitiligo is a chronic condition that causes areas of skin to lose its natural pigment (coloring),...

Facial Vitiligo: Diagnosis and Treatment

Vitiligo is a chronic condition that causes areas of skin to lose its natural pigment (coloring),...
Skin injuries like sunburn or cuts can trigger vitiligo in individuals who are genetically predis...

Can Sunburn and Skin Injuries Trigger Vitiligo?

Skin injuries like sunburn or cuts can trigger vitiligo in individuals who are genetically predis...
People living with vitiligo have a higher risk of developing lupus than individuals in the genera...

Vitiligo and Lupus: What’s the Connection?

People living with vitiligo have a higher risk of developing lupus than individuals in the genera...
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s pigmentation, leading to white patches ...

Vitiligo and Vision Loss: What’s the Connection?

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s pigmentation, leading to white patches ...
Vitiligo is a skin condition associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s dise...

Vitiligo and Thyroid Autoimmunity: What’s the Connection?

Vitiligo is a skin condition associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s dise...

Recent articles

Topical medication is usually the first treatment doctors prescribe for vitiligo. Some topical t...

Vitiligo Treatment Creams: What Are the Differences?

Topical medication is usually the first treatment doctors prescribe for vitiligo. Some topical t...
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks melanocytes, the cells tha...

7 Tips for Lowering Vitiligo Treatment Costs

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks melanocytes, the cells tha...
There is no cure for vitiligo, but loss of skin pigment can be managed. There are several medicat...

Vitiligo and Repigmentation Options

There is no cure for vitiligo, but loss of skin pigment can be managed. There are several medicat...
Watch highlights from World Vitiligo Day — USA 2022!

World Vitiligo Day-USA 2022

Watch highlights from World Vitiligo Day — USA 2022!
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved a second COVID-19 booster ...

What People With Vitiligo Should Know About Getting a Second COVID-19 Booster Shot

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved a second COVID-19 booster ...
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that causes depigmentation (loss of pigment, or color) of the s...

Is There a Connection Between Vitiligo and Alcohol?

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that causes depigmentation (loss of pigment, or color) of the s...
MyVitiligoTeam My vitiligo Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close