Do you want to come to the Christmas market with us? Part 3

Franziska Werner, 18 years old, student and asthma patient

"I really like going to Christmas markets because I love the atmosphere, but I choose smaller markets to avoid crowds and the risk of infection. I don’t want to have to stop going to Christmas markets because of my asthma, even if I sometimes have trouble there with the strong smells from perfumed candles and incense sticks or with cigarette smoke. Once I started having an asthma attack because of a some really strong incense. I moved away from the booth and first tried to manage my breathing using the pursed lip breathing technique, but I ultimately had to use my asthma spray. In winter, the cold air is also a problem for me. My lungs are more susceptible. So I consider how my lungs are doing before I go to a Christmas market. If I have the feeling that they are not doing that well, I use my asthma spray at home before I go to the market."