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

6. Individuals with other chronic conditions

People with any other form of chronic disease are also likely to suffer more if they will contract COVID-19. This includes chronic liver disease and chronic kidney disease, says the CDC.

“These conditions impair the body’s natural capacity to cope with infection,” says Dr. Long. Unfortunately, people with long-term conditions also have immune systems that don’t work properly and can’t effectively protect them against infection, the AHA adds.

Dialysis centers have been given special instructions on how to reduce the risk to patients coming in for treatment. The American Kidney Fund says that patients should ask dialysis centers what procedures they have in place to protect their patients.

If you’re a patient who needs treatment, you should also ask if you can wait in your car rather than the waiting room, which could be crowded.