Additional risk factors for COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its list of demographics at higher risk for COVID-19, due to new evidence.
The updated list expands possible underlying medical conditions and removes the age threshold. At first, the CDC deemed older adults and those with underlying medical conditions to be most at-risk. The new list has removed the specific age threshold.
The updates also included an expansion of underlying medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes; an immuno-compromised state in individuals going through cancer treatment; poorly controlled HIV/AIDS; sickle cell disease; and severe obesity or BMI of 30 or higher.
A recent study in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) also analyzed the at-risk potential of pregnant and non-pregnant women, finding that pregnant women were not at greater risk of death from COVID-19 than non-pregnant women.
However, the study did determine that pregnant women were more likely to be hospitalized and admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU) than non-pregnant women.
For more information on the CDC’s updated list of risk factors, read the full article from Drug Topics.
Contemporary OB/GYN Senior Editor Angie DeRosa gets insight on the current state of COVID-19 from Christina Han, MD, division director of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and member of its COVID-19 task force. Han is an active member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and discusses the issues on behalf of SMFM.
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