Caution in the Time of Rashes and COVID-19

The document discusses the cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19, noting that while dermatologists have identified a range of skin symptoms associated with the virus, it's difficult to definitively conclude that these are due to SARS-CoV-2. The most commonly reported skin manifestation, pernio-like lesions (or "COVID-toes"), often occur in patients who test negative for the virus. Other reported skin manifestations include morbilliform eruption, urticaria, petechiae, retiform purpura, periorbital erythema, vesicular, livedo reticularis, digitate papulosquamous, erythema multiforme, pernio-like and androgenic alopecia. The authors recommend caution in attributing these skin findings specifically to SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that further studies and widespread testing are needed to distinguish between virus-specific and non-specific skin manifestations. They also highlight the importance of the COVID-19 Dermatology Registry in identifying which skin manifestations are most suggestive of COVID-19.