COVID long-hauler in North Vancouver struggles with B.C. wildfire smoke

VANCOUVER (CityNews) – A COVID-19 long-hauler who lives in North Vancouver says she was “suffocating” recently because of B.C. wildfire smoke, which even sent her to the emergency room.

Adriana Patino says the recent heatwaves were already bad, but wildfire smoke drifting into the Lower Mainland last week forced her to lock herself in her room as she gasped for air, even indoors.

“Since the smoke has been blowing here, it’s been even worse,” said Patino.

Patino says she’s been considered a long-hauler for about eight months after contracting COVID-19. She notes she hasn’t left her home in months because of symptoms including low oxygen levels, chest pains, and heart palpitations.

Now, she’s staying in her bedroom, away from windows and a patio door. She rushed to a hospital over the weekend when air quality took a major hit due to the haze from fires.

“I had to make a run to the ER at some point because I knew I could not breathe. I was suffocating. And there’s only so much that the puffers can do,” she explained.

Patino tells CityNews she’s been chatting with other COVID long-haulers on social media, and says many others also describe symptoms getting worse, especially for those closer to wildfires or the Canada-U.S. border.

Measuring her blood oxygen level and heartrate, Patino showed CityNews a machine she uses regularly.

“Ninety is kind of like the limit where you need supplemental oxygen, and then anything below 90 is dangerous,” she said. “So my usual, since I’ve been a long-hauler, has been between 87 to 91, roughly, 92 on my good days.”

However, she says this month, there have been times when her readings have dropped to as low as 82.

This wildfire season has been particularly tough, with high temperatures drying out fuels across the province and will more than 260 wildfires currently burning. Many of these fires, including the largest this year, have been in the Kamloops and Southeast fire centres, with smoke spreading west and east in recent weeks.

Preparing for wildfire seasons to come

With wildfire and climate concerns expected to last into the years ahead, so too do concerns for long-haulers.

“What’s likely to happen again, based on what we know, is that if that lung disease (that persists throughout their lives, which is possible), they’re going to be sensitive sort of every year, year in, year out. They are the types of individuals that really need to be very careful in terms of avoiding exposure. We would recommend, if they can, to get an air filter and put it in their home, and operate that certainly during the smoke season,” explained Michael Brauer, a professor in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC.

He says it’s important for long-haulers to plan for next season as much as they can, and to be in touch with their physicians.

Brauer admits it’s still unclear how wildfire smoke will impact COVID-19 long-haulers’ recovery in the long-term.

“We don’t even really know a lot about long-COVID in general,” he said.

Meanwhile, after months of COVID-19 restrictions and having to deal with the persistent symptoms herself, Patino is dreading the possibility of being further isolated during the wildfire season.

While there’s more to learn about long-COVID and what could make it worse, Patino warns about the risk of the illness.

“I was a competitive swimmer at the world level, and I had the strongest lungs that anyone can imagine. I ended up like this. So it can happen to anyone,” she said.