Allergy and Immunotherapy During the Pandemic

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize and review recent literature on the role of allergen immunotherapy in the setting of a worldwide pandemic. RECENT FINDINGS: At the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, most elective ambulatory patient care services, including allergen immunotherapy, were suspended. Now with medical practices reopening, allergists must establish plans and protocols for resuming care of allergy patients, including strategies for restarting allergen immunotherapy. While there are no published evidence-based protocols for resuming allergen immunotherapy, limited scientific data and expert opinion suggest that the major factor in dose adjustment is the time elapsed from the last dose. SUMMARY: Resuming outpatient allergy services in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic poses many challenges to the practitioner. Allergy specialists are now faced with developing prudent and evidence-based strategies for safely resuming allergen immunotherapy, while also maintaining a safe environment for staff and patients.