Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on patients with chronic diseases.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:We sought to measure the effect of lockdown, implemented to contain COVID-19 infection, on routine living and health of patients with chronic diseases and challenges faced by them. METHODS:A semi-structured online questionnaire was generated using "Google forms" and sent to the patients with chronic diseases using WhatsApp. Data were retrieved and analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS:Out of 181 participants, 98% reported effect of lockdown on their routine living while 45% reported an effect on their health. The key challenges due to lockdown were to do daily exercise, missed routine checkup/lab testing and daily health care. CONCLUSION:It is important to strategize the plan for patients with chronic diseases during pandemic or lockdown.