Am I at High Risk for Severe Illness from Covid-19?

What is severe Covid-19?

According Vidya Sundareshan, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Southern Illinois Medical University, the difference between mild, moderate and severe Covid-19 depends on whether you are admitted to the hospital. Those with mild or moderate illnesses can receive outpatient treatment at home. People with severe Covid-19 should be treated in a hospital. They are too sick to come home. “These are the patients who will likely need oxygen and may even be sick enough to be intubated,” she said. “They may need to be admitted to the ICU.”

Anyone can develop serious illness from Covid-19, but some people are more at risk than others. This group includes both older people and pregnant women.

High-risk groups include people with:

• Weakened immune systems due to conditions and treatments such as:
  • Organ Transplant
  • Cancer
  • HIV
  • Long-term use of medications that affect your immune system, such as prednisone
• Lung diseases such as:
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Lung cancer
• heart disease
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia.
• Chronic liver or kidney disease
• Down’s Syndrome
• Some mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders or depression.

Prevent serious Covid-19

When the pandemic began, we only had the usual infection prevention strategies to protect ourselves. These included washing hands thoroughly and regularly, wearing a mask in crowded places, and avoiding sick people. But when Covid-19 vaccines became available, infection rates decreased. Vaccines reduced the number of people who got the disease, and if a vaccinated person became infected, their illness and symptoms were usually less severe.

However, Covid-19 is constantly mutating or changing, which means vaccines need to be updated. That’s why you’ve seen multiple updated vaccines in recent years. These are not booster vaccines. They are designed to help boost the immunity you already have. Updated vaccines contain updated formulas.

The best way to protect yourself from severe Covid-19 is by making sure you are up to date with your vaccines. However, talk to your healthcare provider if you recently had the virus, because the timing for vaccine changes.

Treating Covid-19

Shortly after the vaccines were approved, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized them. two oral antiviral medications to treat Covid-19: Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir). These are for people at high risk of severe Covid-19.

Both antivirals should be taken. within five days of your symptoms starting. Not everyone can take Paxlovid, but Lagevrio can often be used if you cannot take Paxlovid. Your healthcare provider can help you determine which medication is best for you.

How do antivirals act against Covid-19?

Paxlovid It is made of two drugs. They work together to manage the Covid-19 virus. Nirmatrelvir prevents the Covid-19 virus from entering uninfected cells. This way, the virus cannot spread. The second part, ritonavir, slows down how quickly nirmatrelvir leaves the body. This gives the medicine more time to do its job.

Lagevrio It works differently than Paxlovid. Prevents the virus from reproducing. When the virus cannot reproduce, it cannot spread throughout the body.

Planning for severe Covid-19

The best laid plans can go wrong. Even if you are vaccinated and take all possible precautions, there is still a chance of contracting Covid-19. If you are at risk of severe illness from Covid-19, talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns before anything happens.

You or your caregiver can take some steps to be prepared in advance if something happens, said Yadira Montoya, MPH, program director for the National Alliance for Caregiving. They include having a plan in case you test positive, having an up-to-date list of your medications, and making sure you have contact information for your healthcare provider and insurance easily accessible.

Your plan depends on your particular situation.

• If you live alone and are having trouble coping, who will you call if you need to go to the doctor? Antiviral medications should be taken within five days of symptoms appearing. Who can bring you food and medicine, cook for you, walk your dog, or take care of other immediate needs?
• If you live with another person, how will you prevent that person from getting infected?
• Having an up-to-date list of medications is always a good idea. Be sure to include over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements, even if they are sold as natural. Some, like St. John’s wort, do not mix well with antiviral medications.
• Make sure your healthcare provider’s contact information is easily accessible and, if possible, register a family member or close family friend as your patient advocate so they can speak on your behalf. Due to privacy regulations, healthcare professionals are not supposed to talk to anyone without your permission, unless they are close family members.

The National Alliance for Care have a document You can print with a checklist and a place to write down important information, including your provider information, emergency contacts, and more.

Covid-19 is not spreading as quickly as during the pandemic, but you still have to be careful. Continue to protect yourself and have a plan in place, just in case.