Patients who have sickle cell disease are at higher risk than the general population for severe complications from COVID-19. Here, an expert explains how COVID-19 can further complicate sickle cell disease.

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“Many patients experience a pain crisis, also known as a vaso-occlusive crisis, early in COVID-19 infection before respiratory symptoms develop,” says Jennie Hart, M.D., clinical director of the Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai.

Dr. Hart explains how COVID-19 can further complicate sickle cell disease, and offers additional measures people with sickle cell disease can take to keep themselves healthy in these times: