In the wake of discussions with hundreds of Covid positive patients over the past week, pharmacists from across New Zealand have urged asthma patients to use preventive medication for the chronic disease daily, prior to exposure to Covid. The pharmacists highlighted severe respiratory distress as the most common symptom experienced by omicron patients, further analysis of which revealed the patients’ irregular usage of preventative inhalers. They also specified that in addition to the prescribed three doses of vaccine, COPD patients should mandatorily take extra steps in case of pre-existing respiratory conditions. ​​New Zealand has a high prevalence of asthma, with one in eight (12%) adults having been prescribed asthma medication.