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