Overweight (defined as a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html">body mass index </a> (BMI) > 25 kg/m2  but < 30 kg/m2 ), obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 but < 40 kg/m2 ), or severe obesity (BMI of ≥40 kg/m2 ), can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.  The risk of severe COVID-19 illness increases sharply with elevated BMI.

Fatty

Adults of any age with the following conditions can be more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. Severe illness  means that a person with COVID-19 may need:<ul><li>Hospitalization</li><li>Intensive care</li><li>A ventilator to help them breathe</li><li>Or they may even die</li></ul>

Certan medical conditions To be aware of in Covid-19 illness

Preventive measures for COVID-19 (including <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html">vaccination </a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html">wearing a mask </a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html">social distancing </a>) are important especially if you are older or have multiple or severe health conditions. You can learn about CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, including how medical conditions and other factors inform recommendations.

Preventive measures

Having a weakened immune system can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. Many conditions and treatments can cause a person to be immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system. Primary immunodeficiency is caused by genetic defects that can be inherited. Prolonged use of corticosteroids or other immune weakening medicines can lead to secondary or acquired immunodeficiency.

Immunocompromised state

Having chronic kidney disease of any stage can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Chronic kidney disease

Having neurological conditions, such as dementia, can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Dementia

Having Down syndrome can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Down syndrome

Having hemoglobin blood disorders like sickle cell disease (SCD) or thalassemia can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Sickle cell

Being a current or former cigarette smoker can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. If you currently smoke, quit. If you used to smoke, don’t start again. If you’ve never smoked, don’t start.

Smoking

Having heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and possibly high blood pressure (hypertension) can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Heart conditions

Having had a solid organ or blood stem cell transplant, which includes bone marrow transplants, can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.Having a substance use disorder (such as alcohol, opioid, or cocaine use disorder) can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.Get more information:

Substance use disorders

Pregnant and recently pregnant people (for at least 42 days following end of pregnancy) are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people.

Pregnancy

Having chronic liver disease, such as alcohol-related liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and especially cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Liver conditions

<ul><li>This list is presentedin alphabetical order and not in order of risk.</li><li>CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/underlying-evidence-table.html">completed an evidence review process </a> for each medical condition on this list to ensure they met criteria for inclusion on this webpage.</li><li>We are learning more about COVID-19 every day, and this list may be updated as the science evolves.</li></ul>

The Medical Conditions

Having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Diabetes

Having HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

<ul><li>Asthma, if it’s moderate to severe</li><li>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis</li><li>Having damaged or scarred lung tissue such as interstitial lung disease (including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis)</li><li>Cystic fibrosis, with or without lung or other solid organ transplant</li><li>Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs)</li></ul>

Chronic diseases

<ol><li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/older-adults.html">Older adults </a> 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.</li><li>Long-standing <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html">systemic health and social inequities </a> have put various groups of people at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19, including many racial and ethnic minority groups and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-disabilities.html">people with disabilities</a>.</li></ol>

Adults and their chronic conditions

Having cancer can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. Treatments for many types of cancer can weaken your body’s ability to fight off disease. At this time, based on available studies, having a history of cancer may increase your risk.

Cancer

It is especially important for people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and those who live with them, to protect themselves from getting COVID-19.