Which Covid19 patients will develop severe infection?

Covid19 infection can range from mild to severe, with varying levels of severity. Those at higher risk for developing severe infection include older adults, those with underlying medical conditions (such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and weakened immune systems), pregnant women, and people who are immunocompromised. In addition to these high-risk individuals, it appears that some younger adults may also be at greater risk for severe illness than previously thought.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists a few factors associated with increased risk of developing more serious complications from Covid19: age (older adults are most vulnerable); chronic medical conditions such as heart or lung disease; being immunosuppressed; obesity; smoking; and pregnancy. Other emerging data suggests certain groups of people may have an increased risk due to underlying genetics or other biological differences that make them more susceptible to the virus.

It is important to note that anyone-- regardless of age or health status-- could potentially develop a severe case of Covid19 if infected by the virus. So far there is no way to predict which individuals will become severely ill when infected – but knowing which groups are at greater risk can help inform prevention strategies in order to protect all populations from this highly contagious virus.