Below taken from Chris Kresser Email newsletter April 2, 2020. For the full article click here.

Pre-existing conditions and COVID-19 severityNew data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm that both pre-existing health conditions and age are independently associated with COVID-19 severity. A few notable highlights from the report:

• Among those ages 19 to 64 with pre-existing conditions,18 to 20 percent were hospitalized. Among those without conditions, approximately 6 percent were hospitalized.
• Only 17 to 18 percent of people over age 65 without pre-existing conditions were hospitalized. Of people over age 65 with a pre-existing condition, 42 to 44 percent were hospitalized.
• This suggests that people under age 65 with a pre-existing condition had about the same risk of being hospitalized as people over 65 without a pre-existing condition. It also suggests that having a pre-existing condition at any age doubles or triples your risk of being hospitalized.

What qualifies as a pre-existing condition or risk factor?

• Chronic lung disease
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic renal disease
• Chronic liver disease
• Being immunocompromised
• Neurological disorder
• Neurodevelopmental or intellectual disability
• Pregnancy
• Smoking