Age is not the only risk for severe coronavirus disease

'Gender'? No, it's biology that shows infection imbalances - it's sex not gender that is important. If gender was a factor

So, based from what I've read, if you belong to the following demographic, you'll have a higher chance of contracting the virus (or just any illness in general): of an older age; with pre-existing chronic health conditions; male. Here's what I wish they included in the article:

Woman genetically have stronger immune systems than men (https://www.livescience.com/16268-female-immune-system-stronger-males-genetics.html)

The more health problems, the worse they fare. Italy also reports about half of people who died with COVID-19 had three or more underlying conditions, while just 2% of deaths were in people with no preexisting ailments.

Heart disease is a very broad term, but so far it looks like those most at risk have significant cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure or severely stiffened and clogged arteries, said Dr. Trish Perl, infectious disease chief at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Any sort of infection tends to make diabetes harder to control, but it’s not clear why diabetics appear to be at particular risk with COVID-19.

Risks in the less healthy may have something to do with how they hold up if their immune systems overreact to the virus. Patients who die often seemed to have been improving after a week or so only to suddenly deteriorate — experiencing organ-damaging inflammation.

As for preexisting lung problems, “this is really happening in people who have less lung capacity,” Perl said, because of diseases such as COPD -- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- or cystic fibrosis.

Asthma also is on the worry list. No one really knows about the risk from very mild asthma, although even routine respiratory infections often leave patients using their inhalers more often and they’ll need monitoring with COVID-19, she said. What about a prior bout of pneumonia? Unless it was severe enough to put you on a ventilator, that alone shouldn’t have caused any significant lingering damage, she said.

One of the most informative passage in months. Thanks for posting this.

Age is not the only issue for understanding what is on topic and what is not. A basic education is. Get a clue. Study hard and move beyond junior high school.

Another major factor they didn’t mention is weight. Obesity IS a pre-existing health condition. The number of excessively chubby people in Europe is quite shocking.

This could be one reason why Asia has not been hit so hard?

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control is urging research into smoking’s connection to COVID-19.

It seems a reasonable assumption that smokers might be at greater risk, but the only data I've seen suggests the opposite could possibly be true.

https://www.qeios.com/read/article/554

But smokers probably shouldn't celebrate. If true, the articles suggests it could be due to already damaged lungs (fewer active ACE2 receptor cells that the covid virus apparently attacks).