High Risk Conditions and COVID-19
9/14/2020
Did you know that having certain underlying health conditions puts you at higher risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 compared to those without underlying conditions?
Underlying Health Condition
|
Increased risk of hospitalization with COVID-19
|
Asthma
|
1.5 times
|
Hypertension
|
3 times
|
Obesity (BMI≥30)
|
3 times
|
Diabetes
|
3 times
|
Chronic Kidney Disease
|
4 times
|
Severe Obesity (BMI≥40)
|
4.5 times
|
2 conditions*
|
4.5 times
|
3 or more conditions*
|
5 times
|
*(asthma, obesity, chronic kidney disease, severe obesity, coronary artery disease, history of stroke, and COPD)
How can I stay healthy during the pandemic?
Prevention is key! Please practice the following:
- Stay home as much as possible.
- Stay 6 feet away from others.
- Wear a mask or face covering when in public.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Disinfect common surfaces in your home and vehicle routinely.
According to the American Diabetes Association, your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if your diabetes is well managed.
Keeping your chronic conditions under control is very important. If you have underlying health conditions:
- Continue to take your medications as prescribed
- Exercise 30 minutes a day five times a week
- Eat a healthy diet
- Get your flu shot! Getting infected with flu and COVID-19 at the same time is a possibility. Since there is no known cure or immunization for COVID-19, we must be diligent to protect ourselves against the things we can!
- Keep your routine follow ups with your provider. Although telehealth visits are a great tool, there are still times it may be necessary to come in for blood work, blood pressure measurement, immunizations, and BMI measurement.
If you are concerned about potential exposures, contact your healthcare provider and they will work with you to identify a time for you to come in to make you feel safe. We are doing everything we can at our clinics to ensure a safe environment at all times.
Your health is our priority!
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-underlying-medical-conditions.html
https://www.diabetes.org/coronavirus-covid-19/how-coronavirus-impacts-people-with-diabetes