People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors

What to know

  • If you have any medical conditions listed below, you are more likely to get very sick with COVID-19.
  • This list does not include all conditions.
  • If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and are aged 50 years or older OR have a condition placing you at higher risk of getting very sick, you are eligible for treatment.

Overview

This information is for a general audience. Healthcare professionals should see Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19 for more detailed information.

Stay Up to Date With COVID-19 Vaccines‎

Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and following preventive measures are especially important if you are older or have one or more health conditions, including those listed below.


COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective


Stay Up To Date

If you have one more of the conditions listed below, you are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 and be hospitalized, need intensive care, require a ventilator to breathe, and/or die.

Risk factors for getting very sick with COVID-19

  • Older adults are at highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. More than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65. The number of deaths among people over age 65 is 97 times higher than among people ages 18-29 years.
  • Your risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases as the number of your underlying medical conditions increase.
  • Some people are at increased risk of getting very sick or dying from COVID-19 because of where they live or work, or because they can’t get health care. This includes many people from racial and ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities.

Specific information on children and teens

People of all ages, including children and teens, can get very sick from COVID-19, especially those with underlying medical conditions. This includes children and teens with:

  • Medical complexity
  • Genetic, neurologic, or metabolic conditions
  • Congenital heart disease

Like adults, children and teens with obesity, diabetes, asthma or chronic lung disease, sickle cell disease, or who are immunocompromised can also be at increased risk for getting very sick from COVID-19. Check out COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens for more information on vaccinating your child.

Learn how CDC develops COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

Contact Your Healthcare Provider‎

• If you have questions about a condition not included on this list or questions on how to manage your condition and protect yourself from COVID-19 and severe illness.



• For treatment options. You must start treatment within 5-7 days from the time your symptoms start. Treatment can reduce your risk of hospitalization by more than 50% and reduce your risk of death.

You can also visit a Test to Treat location.

Conditions that can increase risk

  • The conditions on this list are in alphabetical order. They are not in order of risk.
  • CDC reviewed each medical condition on this list to ensure they met criteria for inclusion. If there is new evidence, other conditions might be added to the list.
  • This list does not include all medical conditions that place a person at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Rare medical conditions, including many conditions that mostly affect children, may not be included.
  • A person with a condition that is not listed may still be at greater risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 than other people. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about your risk.

Having the following diseases, conditions, or behaviors can make you more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.

Cancer

Treatments for many types of cancer can weaken your body's ability to fight off disease.

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Cerebrovascular disease

Including stroke which affects blood flow to the brain.

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Chronic kidney disease (at any stage)

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Chronic liver disease

This includes alcohol-related liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and cirrhosis (or scarring of the liver).

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Chronic lung disease

Chronic lung disease can include:

  • Asthma (moderate to severe)
  • Bronchiectasis (thickening of the lungs' airways)
  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (chronic lung disease affecting newborns)
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis
  • Damaged or scarred lung tissue (interstitial lung disease including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis)
  • Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
  • Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs)

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Cystic fibrosis

With or without lung or other solid organ transplant (like kidney, liver, intestines, heart, and pancreas).

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Dementia or other neurological conditions

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Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)

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Disabilities

People with some types of disabilities may be more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 because of underlying medical conditions, living in congregate settings, or systemic health and social inequities, including:

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Heart conditions

This includes heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and possibly high blood pressure (hypertension).

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Hemoglobin blood disorders

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HIV infection (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

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Immunocompromised condition or weakened immune system

People who are immunocompromised or are taking medicines that weaken their immune system may not be protected even if they are up to date on their vaccines. Examples include:

  • People who have cancer and are on chemotherapy
  • People who have had a solid organ transplant and are taking medication to keep their transplant
  • People who use some medicines for a long time, like corticosteroids
  • Primary immunodeficiency

Talk with your healthcare provider about what additional precautions may be necessary. Additionally, people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may benefit from additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine. Because their immune response following COVID-19 vaccination may differ, specific guidance has been developed.

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You Might Be Eligible for Pemivibart (Pemgarda™)‎

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, are aged 12 and older, and who weigh at least 88 pounds may be eligible to get Pemivibart (Pemgarda™), a monoclonal antibody authorized to help protect against COVID-19. Pemgarda may provide another layer of protection against COVID-19 in addition to protection provided through vaccination and can be given at least 2 weeks after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Pemgarda is not a treatment for COVID-19. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if Pemgarda is right for you.

Mental health conditions

Mood disorders including depression and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

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Overweight and obesity

Overweight (defined as a body mass index (BMI) is 25 kg/m2 or higher, but under 30 kg/m2), obesity (BMI is 30 kg/m2 or higher, but under 40 kg/m2), or severe obesity (BMI is 40 kg/m2 or higher). The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases sharply with higher BMI.

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Physical inactivity

Being physically active is important to being healthy. Get more information on physical activity and health, physical activity recommendations, how to become more active, and how to create activity-friendly communities:

Pregnancy

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Smoking - current or former

It’s never too late to quit smoking. Quitting smoking improves your health, regardless of age or how long you have smoked.

You do not have to quit smoking alone. Find free resources to help you quit and stay quit.

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Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant

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Substance use disorders

Such as alcohol, opioid, or cocaine use disorder.

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Tuberculosis (TB)

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)