Who is Most at Risk from the Coronavirus? Here's How to Protect Yourself

COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, anyone can contract the Coronavirus. But 80% of patients display only mild symptoms. 

Only a handful of those infected require hospitalization or intensive care. Most people who contract COVID-19 can self-isolate, as prescribed by their doctor.

 

Defining Risk

Risk is subjective.

• Everyone is at risk of contracting the virus. 
• The risk of lasting organ damage and/or morbidity is a different issue. It has been more pronounced in: 
• The elderly 
• The already immunocompromised 
• Those struggling with other chronic diseases or complications like hypertension, diabetes, cancer.
• There’s a risk of infecting someone who may not survive. Young and healthy individuals may not be severely impacted. They might even be asymptomatic. But they can definitely infect several other people - including the sick and the elderly. Thus the real risk of the Coronavirus lies in its R0 factor.
• Yet another facet of risk is around the recession that is sure to follow at the heels of this pandemic. The longer it takes to control the spread, the longer lockdown measures will be extended. The more money the global economy will bleed. The global unemployment has already reached 190 million job losses and is continuing to rise.

 

Mortality Rates by Country

 Here's a great graphic of the mortality rate by country:

 

#COVID19 Crude case fatality rate age distribution chart updated with Spain data

(Wish can add CDC prelim data here too only if they also use decade cutoff like everyone else...) pic.twitter.com/IpoRrL7p6i

— Andy Biotech (@AndyBiotech) March 22, 2020

 

 

• China
• 20-29 years: 0.2%
• 30 - 39 years: 0.2%
• 40 - 49 years: 0.4%
• 50 - 59 years: 1.3%
• 60 - 69 years: 3.6%
• 70 - 79 years: 8.0%
• 80+ years: 14.8%
  
• South Korea Mortality Rate as of April 14th, 2020
• 30 - 39 years: 0.09%
• 40 - 49 years: 0.21%
• 50 - 59 years: 0.72%
• 60 - 69 years: 2.47%
• 70 - 79 years: 9.29%
• 80+ years: 22.22%
• Italy Number of Deaths as of April 13th, 2020
• 0 - 9 year: 1
• 10 - 19 years: 0
• 20 - 29 years: 7
• 30 - 39 years: 39
• 40 - 49 years: 170
• 50 - 59 years: 712
• 60 - 69 years: 2,142
• 70 - 79 years: 5,874
• 80 - 89 years: 7,534
• 90+ years: 2,161

 

The mortality and hospitalization numbers for the United States are not well defined as of yet. But different sources put the hospitalization percentage for teens and tweens at 1.6. 

The age range of 20 to 44 has purportedly seen a 14.3% hospitalization, with a 0.1% fatality. Those in the age range of 45 to 54 years have a 0.5% mortality rate.

 

Key Advice for the Different Age Groups

Teens & Early 20s: Be careful and stay home. If not for yourself then for your parents and grandparents.

Mid 30s to Mid 50s: Make sure children understand the importance of following social distancing. Otherwise, they run the risk of infecting others who may not survive this disease. 

50s to 70s: If you contract Coronavirus, be sure to take extreme measures with the advice of your doctor. If you need to be hospitalized, do so.

 

Every age group must follow the general guidelines of self-quarantine and #stayathome. Flatten the curve before it flattens the economy.