COVID-19: Who is at risk?
Myth: The new coronavirus only affects elderly people or people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Young and healthy people can be seriously impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus. People over 80 are most likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 , but people over the age of 50 make up a large amount of Intensive Care Unit hospitalizations. Additionally, the majority of reported COVID-19 cases in Canada are in younger people. Some young people who have recovered from COVID-19 still suffer from physical and cognitive symptoms, like extreme fatigue, weakness and dizziness.
It is extremely important that all Canadians, regardless of age, practice physical distancing, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently.