New CDC document detailing risk factors for severe COVID-19: Little that is new. Why release this document now? Because there’s nothing new to say?

Coronavirus studies by Engin Akyurt via pixabay.com

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) today (June 25) published a new document listing risk factors for severe COVID-19 (the disease caused by the virus SARS-COV-2) which separates risky conditions into two categories: those that definitely cause increased risk and those which maybe increase risk.

The following conditions definitely increase one’s risk for severe COVID-19, regardless of age: (they include links to CDC’s information pages on each condition)

• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher)
• Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

The CDC describes children who are “medically complex” as having increased risk, as well as those with congenital heart disease, neurologic, metabolic, or genetic conditions.

The second list includes conditions that might increase one’s risk:

• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
• Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
• Liver disease
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
• Smoking
• Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The two lists appear to differ from previous information in that the first list includes conditions which definitely increase one’s risk of severe COVID-19 and the second list includes conditions with less definite information about increased risk.  Regardless of one’s medical conditions, it appears that increasing age increases one’s risk of severe illness in a continuous fashion, that is, there is no definite cut-off below which one is at lower risk.

The rest of the document includes standard information about reducing one’s risk of contracting an infection with the virus: wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently, avoiding touching objects that may be contaminated, and especially avoiding crowds and people you don’t know.  There is also advice about low- and high-risk public gatherings, staying healthy generally, getting one’s vaccines including flu vaccines, and following treatment plans for those conditions you already have.

There is a breakdown of specific treatment plans for each chronic medical condition that reiterates standard medical advice for each condition: have a 30-day supply of medication on hand, follow your doctor’s advice, if you don’t have a healthcare provider, get one, quit smoking, and so on.  There are no surprises here.

This document appears to be updated in the sense that it separates conditions that definitely increase risks for severe illness from conditions that have less definite risks.  I’m not sure what else is has to offer to anyone other than the most naive reader.  Perhaps it was released today because there is little else to say that hasn’t already been said.