Who is at risk of getting coronavirus?
Those at risk include people with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma.
If Covid-19 affects only old people, why should we be isolated? Why is coronavirus said to be new yet there are respiratory infections caused by coronavirus? Abner
Dear Abner,
Coronaviruses are very tinny living organisms that infect mammals and birds.
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause a common cold and other upper-respiratory tract illnesses. Covid-19 is a new coronavirus, that has not previously been seen in humans but just like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus is thought to have originated from animals.
People of all ages can be infected by Covid-19. However, older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and cancer appear to become more seriously sick or even die once they are infected with the virus.
Therefore, people of all ages require to take Covid-19 preventive measures including staying at home and if they have come from a foreign country, to undergo a 14-day quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease. If they are sick, they require self-isolation or if more seriously sick treatment in hospital where isolation can be done alongside more qualified treatment.
