List. Risk conditions for severe COVID-19

Children and adults with these risk conditions are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and may benefit from further doses of COVID-19 vaccine. These examples are not exhaustive, and providers may include individuals with conditions similar to those listed below, based on clinical judgement.

Risk conditions at increased risk of severe COVID-19
Immunocompromise Chronic inflammatory conditions requiring medical treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immune-suppressive or immunomodulatory therapies E.g. Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis Haematological diseases or cancers Cancer within the past 5 years requiring chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted anti-cancer therapy (active treatment or recently completed), or advanced disease regardless of treatment Chronic lung disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cystic fibrosis Interstitial lung disease Severe asthma (defined as requiring frequent hospital visits or the use of multiple medications) Chronic liver disease Cirrhosis Autoimmune hepatitis Non-alcohol fatty liver disease Alcoholic liver disease Severe chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or 5) Diabetes mellitus requiring medication Chronic cardiac disease Ischaemic heart disease Valvular heart disease Congestive cardiac failure Cardiomyopathy Poorly controlled hypertension Pulmonary hypertension Complex congenital heart disease Disability with significant or complex health needs, e.g. trisomy 21 Multiple comorbidities which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 Complex multisystem disorders Severe obesity with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 Severe underweight with BMI <16.5 kg/m2

Risk conditions at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Immunocompromise
Chronic inflammatory conditions requiring medical treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immune-suppressive or immunomodulatory therapies
- E.g. Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
Haematological diseases or cancers
Cancer within the past 5 years requiring chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted anti-cancer therapy (active treatment or recently completed), or advanced disease regardless of treatment
Chronic lung disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Interstitial lung disease
- Severe asthma (defined as requiring frequent hospital visits or the use of multiple medications)
Chronic liver disease
- Cirrhosis
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Non-alcohol fatty liver disease
- Alcoholic liver disease
Severe chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or 5)
Diabetes mellitus requiring medication
Chronic cardiac disease
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Valvular heart disease
- Congestive cardiac failure
- Cardiomyopathy
- Poorly controlled hypertension
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Complex congenital heart disease
Disability with significant or complex health needs, e.g. trisomy 21
Multiple comorbidities which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19
Complex multisystem disorders
Severe obesity with BMI ≥40 kg/m2
Severe underweight with BMI <16.5 kg/m2

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Last updated

25 September 2023

Last reviewed

25 September 2023

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List. Risk conditions for severe COVID-19

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