MONTREAL -- During the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever to properly control children's asthma, warns an expert.

This will not only ensure their health, but will also avoid unnecessarily overloading the health-care system, said Dr. Francine Ducharme, who runs the asthma clinic at CHU Sainte-Justine.

“If they catch COVID, these children will have more lung problems,” said Ducharme.

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The recommendation for children with asthma, even if the problem is episodic, is to have an inhaled corticosteroid every day “to make sure the lungs are normal when the virus arrives.”