Who should worry about COVID?

Over the past year, COVID-19 has impacted and affected the world in ways people would not have imagined.  It has shut down homes, businesses, and countries.  People have many different outlooks and perspectives on COVID-19.  COVID-19 is short for Coronavirus disease 2019 and is caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

As more time has gone on, what has become clearer is who should be concerned about COVID.  Anyone can contract COVID. However, the virus is a significant danger to older adults and those with significant underlying heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes.

COVID-19 impacts each person differently, some people have no symptoms, and some become ill enough to require hospitalization.  Symptoms can include but are not limited to chills, fever, body aches, headache, loss of appetite, and loss of smell.  Some can experience gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, or neurological symptoms. 

Per the CDC, the risk for severe illness with COVID-19 increases with age, with the oldest adults at the highest risk.  It also says the greatest risk for severe illness is those 85 years and older.

The CDC also states that certain conditions can also make a person more susceptible to COVID-19. Those conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, asthma, lung disease, high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), cystic fibrosis, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, dementia or other neurological conditions, Diabetes Type I or Type II, Down Syndrome, HIV, a weakened immune system, heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary heart disease, and cardiomyopathy; liver disease, being overweight or obese, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking (current or history of), organ or blood stem cell transplant, substance abuse disorders, and cerebrovascular disease or stroke.

The CDC also states that children and teens have been less affected and impacted by COVID-19 than adults have.  However, it also states children and teens can be infected with the virus. Those with underlying conditions are at higher risk, the same way adults with underlying medical conditions are higher than adults without underlying medical conditions.  The CDC says that children with genetic, neurological, metabolic conditions, or congenital heart disease are at an increased risk of illness from COVID-19.

The CDC recommends that everyone take precautions in protecting themselves against the virus by hand washing, getting the vaccine, wearing a mask, and social distancing.