Articles
COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
Lung problems
Heart disease, diabetes and obesity
Older age
Lung problems, including asthma
Heart disease
Diabetes and obesity
Cancer and certain blood disorders
Weakened immune system
Chronic kidney or liver disease
Down syndrome
Protect yourself; prevent unnecessary risk
Content
What raises the risk of severe or critical COVID-19 illness?
Age raises the risk of serious COVID-19
Aging plus disease raises the risk of serious COVID-19
Asthma, COPD, other lung diseases raise risk of severe COVID-19
Cancer raises the risk of severe COVID-19
Other conditions that raise the risk of severe COVID-19
A COVID-19 vaccine can lower your risk of serious illness
How else can you lower the risk of severe COVID-19?
Heart disease, diabetes and obesity
Older age
Lung problems, including asthma
Heart disease
Diabetes and obesity
Cancer and certain blood disorders
Weakened immune system
Chronic kidney or liver disease
Down syndrome
Protect yourself; prevent unnecessary risk
Content
What raises the risk of severe or critical COVID-19 illness?
Age raises the risk of serious COVID-19
Aging plus disease raises the risk of serious COVID-19
Asthma, COPD, other lung diseases raise risk of severe COVID-19
Cancer raises the risk of severe COVID-19
Other conditions that raise the risk of severe COVID-19
A COVID-19 vaccine can lower your risk of serious illness
How else can you lower the risk of severe COVID-19?
Cancer raises the risk of severe COVID-19
In general, people with cancer have a greater risk of getting serious COVID-19. People who have or had blood cancer may have a higher risk of being sick for longer, or getting sicker, with COVID-19 than people with solid tumors.
Having cancer raises the risk of needing care in the hospital, intensive care and the use of breathing support. Having blood cancer and getting COVID-19 raises the risk of death from the illness.
Treatment for blood cancer may raise the risk of severe COVID-19 but the research is still unclear. Cancer treatment may also affect your COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your healthcare professional about additional shots and getting vaccinated after treatments that affect some immune cells.
