Do healthy adults under age 65 need to worry about COVID-19?
Do healthy adults under age 65 need to worry about COVID-19?
Yes, they do. Although the risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 increases steadily with age, younger people can get sick enough from the disease to require hospitalization. And certain underlying medical conditions may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age.
What age groups are more likely to get COVID-19 pneumonia when they contract COVID-19?
Anyone can get COVID-19 pneumonia, but it’s more likely in people who are 65 or older. Those who are 85 or older are at the highest risk.
What are some of the medications that I can take to reduce the symptoms of COVID-19?
Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can all be used for pain relief from COVID-19 if they are taken in the recommended doses and approved by your doctor.
How long are COVID-19 patients contagious?
Available data indicate that persons with mild to moderate COVID-19 remain infectious no longer than 10 days after symptom onset. Persons with more severe to critical illness or severe immunocompromise likely remain infectious no longer than 20 days after symptom onset.
Who is at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
Older adults and people of any age who have a serious underlying medical condition are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Who is at greatest risk of infection from COVID-19?
Currently, those at greatest risk of infection are persons who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact (i.e., within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) with a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of whether the patient has symptoms.
Which target population is highly susceptible to get ill from COVID-19?
Older adults are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. More than 80% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65, and more than 95% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people older than 45.
What are the odds of getting severe COVID-19 symptoms?
Most people will have mild symptoms and get better on their own. But about 1 in 6 will have severe problems, such as trouble breathing. The odds of more serious symptoms are higher if you’re older or have another health condition like diabetes or heart disease.
Are patients with hypertension at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
Hypertension is more frequent with advancing age and among non-Hispanic blacks and people with other underlying medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. At this time, people whose only underlying medical condition is hypertension might be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Do all patients with COVID-19 get pneumonia?
Most people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms like coughing, a fever, and shortness of breath. But some who catch the new coronavirus get severe pneumonia in both lungs. COVID-19 pneumonia is a serious illness that can be deadly.
Is there a drug treatment for COVID-19?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved one drug treatment for COVID-19 and has authorized others for emergency use during this public health emergency. In addition, many more therapies are being tested in clinical trials to evaluate whether they are safe and effective in combating COVID-19.
What over-the-counter treatments can be effective in easing symptoms of COVID-19?
Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or NSAIDs may help alleviate fever and body aches related to COVID-19. Over-the-counter nasal decongestants and throat lozenges may help with symptoms of nasal congestion and sore throat. Before taking any over-the-counter medications, we recommend consulting with a health care provider.
How long do recovered COVID-19 patients continue to shed the virus?
Recovered persons can continue to shed detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens for up to 3 months after illness onset, albeit at concentrations considerably lower than during illness, in ranges where replication-competent virus has not been reliably recovered and infectiousness is unlikely.
When can I discontinue isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, if I never have any symptoms?
Persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 who never develop COVID-19 symptoms may discontinue isolation and other precautions 10 days after the date of their first positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
Which group of children at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
Similar to adults, children with obesity, diabetes, asthma or chronic lung disease, sickle cell disease, or immunosuppression can also be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.