LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — COVID-19 vaccines are now available to those ages 16 and older with underlying conditions in the state of Nevada.
COVID-19 Vaccines and What You Need To Know
The list of underlying conditions is fairly long, but the risk is to the same for conditions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the follow conditions are at increase risk of severe illness:
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD (chronic obstruction pulmonary disease)
Down syndrome
Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
Pregnancy
Sickle cell disease
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
The following conditions might be at an increased risk for severe illness from the virus:
Asthma
Cerebrovascular disease
Cystic fibrosis
Hypertension or high blood pressure
Immunocompromise state from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids etc.
Neurological conditions such as dementia
Liver disease
Overweight
Pulmonary fibrosis
Thalassemia
Type 1 dibetes mellitus
The CDC says there is strong and consistent evidence that anyone with an underlying condition on the first list is at an increased list.
For individuals with an underlying condition on the second list, there is mixed and limited evidence. For example, there is mixed evidence that someone with asthma or hypertension is at an increased risk and limited evidence that someone with liver disease or someone who is overweight is at an increased risk.
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The CDC advises anyone with an underlying condition who is receiving the vaccine to make sure they have a 30-day supply of any needed medications on hand.
They also advise not to change any sort of treatment plan for the underlying condition without talking to your doctor.
The Mayo Clinic points out that since COVID-19 primarily targets the lungs, anyone with preexisting lung problems liked COPD, lung cancer, Cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis and moderate to severe asthma are going to be at a higher risk.
AARP reportedly asked several physicians on the front lines which health conditions worried them the most and although their answers varied, three answers came up repeatedly: obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
All three are inflammatory issues that are prevalent among American adults and closely linked.
According to AARP’s research, people who are obese are more than twice as likely to be hospitalized and about 50 percent more likely to die compared to patients who are a healthy weight.
When researchers analyzed the results from 22 studies in 8 countries, they found that high blood pressure was present in 42% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, a Clinical Infections Diseases study on COVID-19 mortality found that hypertension on its own only raised the death rate for those under the age of 40.
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As for diabetes, AARP says the analysis of the medical records of 61 million people in England found that the Fisk of dying from COVID-19 was almost 3 times higher for people with type 1 diabetes and almost twice as high for people with type 2 diabetes.
