COVID-19 can affect anyone, and the disease can cause symptoms ranging from mild to very severe. For some other illnesses caused by respiratory viruses (such as influenza), some people may be more likely to have severe illness than others because they have characteristics or medical conditions that increase their risk.
These are commonly called “risk factors.” Examples include being 65 years of age or older or having serious underlying medical conditions.
CDC is conducting disease surveillance and field investigations to better understand why some people are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 illness.
This is one of the top priorities in CDC’s strategy to combat COVID-19. What we learn from these efforts will provide vital information