covid-19 and diving

 Permanent lung damage can occur even in mild cases.   Like other respiratory illnesses, COVID-19 can cause lasting lung  damage," said Dr. Matias Nochetto, director of medical service at Divers  Alert Network (DAN).  

Lung cells are damaged by both the corona virus infection and the body's  inflammatory reaction to it, reducing lung function and gas exchange  capabilities.   This is not good for anyone's lungs, let alone diving," the doctor  added. "There is no proof that any lungs have fully recovered from  COVID-19. Everyone that has had COVID so far, even if they had COVID in  January, their lungs are likely still recovering, so it is too soon to  say if they are or are not gonna be able to dive. 

Dr. Frank Hartig treated six infected divers who only suffered mild symptoms, were not hospitalized and recovered at home.   Although "clinically recovered," all six patients exhibited  "irreversible" long-term lung damage which made a full recovery  "unlikely," Hartig said. Two exhibited asthmatic-like, irritated lungs,  two suffered low oxygen supplies, and four showed "significant changes"  to lung structure.

The Undersea Hyperberic Medical Society emphasized, "At the present time, we simply do  not have sufficient data to support or refute the definitive  proclamations made by this case series." UHMS, the primary source of  scientific information regarding diving, noted that more time and  studies are needed to accurately access the potential impact of the  disease on individuals' health and ability to dive.

UHMS also  highlighted that COVID-19 shares many features with other serious viral  pneumonia, including requiring a "weeks or months" period of  convalescence before returning to full activities, including diving.   DAN's doctors similarly did not set a specific timeline for a return to  diving after infection, instead advocating for individual medical  assessments and fitness tests by doctors trained in dive medicine to  uncover potential residual issues. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Chimiak  emphasized the need to evaluate any residual damage to lung structure  and function due to coronavirus before considering diving again.  

The society recommending that infected, symptomatic divers wait two to  three months after recovery and undergo complete pulmonary function  testing, CT lung scanning, cardiac evaluations and exercise tests before  attempting to dive again.

"There's no one fully recovered.  Stay tuned. It's a new disease. I think this story is not over.