Catching the Coronavirus: Who Is More at Risk of Severe Illness?

5. Individuals who take immune-suppressing drugs

Those who take drugs that suppress the immune system will probably have some trouble fighting off the virus and managing its added complications.

So, people with HIV/AIDS, transplant patients, anyone taking high-dose corticosteroids, and cancer patients with undergoing treatment will are high-risk categories, says the CDC.

“Most chemotherapies work by targeting rapidly growing cells and some of the most rapidly growing are blood cells,” says Dr. Long. And blood cells, also known as leukocytes are essential to making sure your immune system works properly.

Also, people who deal with autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis need to be very careful, because the drugs they take tame the overactive immune systems that are driving the diseases.