COVID-19: Prevention and Groups at Higher Risk

You can find guidance below tailored for specific groups of people, including children and people with health conditions that could put them at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Expand All Collapse All

Trò chơi xổ số Việt NamPeople at Increased Risk of Severe Illness

Severe illness means that the person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care or a ventilator to help them breathe, or that they may even die. People who are at increased risk of severe illness need to be especially careful about monitoring their health.

Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. For example, people in their 50s are at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 40s. Similarly, people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s.

In addition, people of any age with the following underlying health conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
Obesity (body mass index of 30 or higher)
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes mellitus

If you have one of the above underlying health conditions or are 65 or older, consider staying home to protect yourself. Work from home if you can, avoid crowds and gatherings, and be sure to practice physical distancing and other precautionsTrò chơi xổ số Việt Nam if you go out.

Other Possible Risk Factors

We are still learning about COVID-19, and there may be other health conditions that increase the risk of severe illness. Based on what we know at this time, people with the following conditions might also be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

Asthma (moderate to severe)
Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
Cystic fibrosis
Hypertension or high blood pressure
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicines
Liver disease
Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
Overweight (body mass index greater than 25 but less than 30)
Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Children

Trò chơi xổ số Việt NamChildren with underlying medical conditions are also at increased risk for severe illness compared to other children. There is currently limited evidence about which specific conditions can lead to increased risk for children, but the following conditions may increase risk for this age group:

Obesity
Medical complexity
Severe genetic disorders
Sever neurologic disorders
Inherited metabolic disorders
Congenital (since birth) heart disease
Diabetes
Asthma and other chronic lung conditions
Immunosuppression due to malignancy or immune-weakening medicines

Pregnant People

Trò chơi xổ số Việt NamThere is no evidence pregnant people are more likely to get COVID-19, but they should still be monitored closely.

Learn more about COVID-19 and pregnancy.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Trò chơi xổ số Việt NamMultisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a new health condition associated with COVID-19 that is appearing in children in NYC and elsewhere. The syndrome was previously called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or PMIS.

MIS-C is like other serious inflammatory conditions such as Kawasaki diseaseTrò chơi xổ số Việt Nam and toxic shock syndrome. Children with MIS-C can have problems with their heart and other organs and need to receive medical care in a hospital.