What Increases Your Risk of Serious Illness?

Anyone can get COVID-19. But as with other respiratory infections, older adults and those with existing health conditions are more likely to become seriously ill. 

❱❱ Adults  65 years old 

❱❱ People living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities

❱❱ People with existing:

• Heart conditions
• Lung disease (COPD, moderate to severe asthma)
• Diabetes
• Illnesses that lower the immune system’s ability to fight infection, for example people undergoing cancer treatments or bone marrow or organ transplants (some medications can do this too)
• Obesity

Research shows people who smoke may also have severe complications from COVID-19.  

It appears that while some people may be more susceptible to severe forms of the infection, even healthy and younger people are still at risk.