COVID-19 is still out there.

Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19

Some people are at a higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.

~75%	of American adults have at least one risk factor.1

1. Ajufo E, Rao S, Navar AM, Pandey A, Ayers CR, Khera A. U.S. population at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Am J Prev Cardiol. 2021;6:100156. Published correction appears in Am J Prev Cardiol. 2021;6:100195.

According to the CDC, risk factors can include*:

Being 50 or older Being overweight Being a current or former smoker Having diabetes Having heart conditions Having chronic lung conditions Having a chronic kidney disease Having a weakened immune system

*This isn’t a complete list of risk factors and is not in the order of severity.

Visit CDC.gov to learn more about conditions that increase your likelihood of becoming very sick with COVID-19.

According to the CDC, the more risk factors you have, the higher the likelihood of getting very sick with COVID-19.

Factors Affecting Health Equity Some people have a greater chance of getting very sick or even dying from COVID-19 because of where they live or work, or because they can’t easily access health care. This includes many people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities. Explore additional information from the CDC regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Equity and Vaccine Information for People With Disabilities.

Hospitalization Related to COVID-19

Many Americans have been hospitalized for COVID-19.

1,047,035

The number of COVID-19–related hospitalizations in the US for all ages from January 1, 2023 to February 3, 2024.†

Adults aged ≥65 years accounted for 62.9% of all COVID-19–associated hospitalizations from January 2023 to August 2023.2

^†Based on total number of new hospital admissions as reported by the CDC Data Tracker. See the most current information and important considerations regarding data collection at CDC.gov.

2. Taylor CA, Patel K, Patton ME, et al; COVID-NET Surveillance Team. COVID-19–associated hospitalizations among U.S. adults aged ≥65 years — COVID-NET, 13 states, January–August 2023. MMWR. 2023;72(40):1089-1094.

Understanding Long COVID

The information in this section is not product specific and does not include statements of vaccine efficacy or effectiveness.

Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID. This may last weeks, months, or years after a COVID-19 infection and can include a wide range of symptoms^§:

	General symptoms such as fever, tiredness, fatigue, or symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort
	Respiratory and heart symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, cough, or chest pain
	Neurological symptoms such as difficulty thinking or concentrating, headache, sleep problems, or lightheadedness
	Digestive symptoms such as diarrhea or stomach pain

^§This list does not include all the possible symptoms of Long COVID. To learn more about possible Long COVID symptoms, please visit CDC.gov.

Although Long COVID occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, anyone who has been infected or re-infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus can experience it.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics Household Pulse Survey for ages 18 years and older, an estimated 9.5% of adults who ever had COVID-19 were experiencing Long COVID at the time of survey (October 18-October 30, 2023).||

^||The US Census Bureau, in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, launched the Household Pulse Survey to produce data on the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on American households. Errors can occur for surveys that are implemented quickly, achieve low response rates, and rely on online response.