Who is at Higher Risk?
Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:
- Older adults
- People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Lung disease
If a COVID-19 outbreak happens in your community, it could last for a long time. (An outbreak is when a large number of people suddenly get sick.) Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease.
If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe the long term affects COVID may have on a discharged patient:
- Decreased endurance
- Poor strength
- Decreased pulmonary function
- A cognitive “fog”
The CDC recommends restarting an exercise program as soon as possible to rebuild strength and endurance including:
- Airway clearance techniques
- Breathing exercises to enhance lung function and respiratory muscles, including
- diaphragmatic breathing
- pursed-lip breathing
- coughing training
- Handheld respiratory muscle trainers for resistance training
- Flexibility routines that help to improve posture and maximize lung function, especially due to increased periods of sedation
