Do you have risk factors for Covid-19?

[former player]

On some forum threads there has been a certain amount of "othering" as respects coronavirus and Covid-19 along the lines of "I'm not at risk so why should everything be shut down: people at risk can look out for themselves".

I thought it might be interesting to find out what proportion of forum members regard themselves at an elevated risk of either catching the coronavirus or having a more severe outcome if they do catch it.

As far as I know votes in the poll will be confidential and untraceable (if this is not true, mods please take down the poll asap).

The most obvious risk factors, as far as I know, are:

• a serious pre-existing health condition: cancer treatment, organ transplant, severe lung conditions, lowered immune system,
• another personal risk factor: aged 70 or older, less severe lung condition, heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, a brain/nerve condition (Parkinsons, cerebral palsy, etc,), obesity (BMI 40 or higher), pregnant, Type A blood group,
• in contact with a person at risk who is a family member in the home or otherwise being cared for,
• doing a job which puts you at risk (medical professional, carer, taxi driver, public transport worker, etc.).

But if you consider yourself at risk for some other reason (eg age-related risks start younger than at 70 but become more severe with increased age) you are of course free to vote according to any better information you have or according to your own assessment of your risk.

[anotherAlias]

I have multiple autoimmune diseases.  My normal immune system is NOT normal,although I'm relatively fit otherwise.  Unfortunately, I don't know if my system would react hard enough that I'd be asymptomatic or go off the rails overreacting and put me in an ICU.  Thankfully I can work from home, the rest of my life is normally socially distant (natural introvert) and our area hasn't had huge spikes despite our dumbass state (Wisconsin)...so my overall risk is fairly low.

[John Galt incarnate!]

I have no risk factors and voted accordingly.

Nevertheless, whether required or not (in my state masking is now required) I always wear a mask when I go away from home.

[Kris]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

[John Galt incarnate!]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

Kris, why is type A blood a risk factor?

[kanga1622]

I have an autoimmune disorder as do others that I work with daily. I am also overweight and have family history of other autoimmune conditions and diabetes which have been “triggered” in some patients by this virus. Making me feel more likely to have a longer term consequence of the virus even if I have a milder case at some point in the future.

I work with college students that seem to be a prime age group to not take this seriously. Add in the fact that they will all be converging on my town/office from all over the country in a matter of weeks.....

[OtherJen]

I have a well-controlled autoimmune disorder that kicked in after I contracted H1N1 flu, and I have a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease on both sides of the family. I'd really like to avoid another one.

Plus, one of my elderly (71, fully active and mentally sharp) parents is going to start cancer treatment next month, so I'm definitely not looking to put them at greater risk by helping out

[Fomerly known as something]

I am definitely in the my job puts me at higher risk.  Several dozen of my coworkers are self isolating right now.  I expect I will have to at a minimum self isolate before the end of the year even if I don’t contract it.

[Hula Hoop]

I've have health issues that put me at higher risk.  The threads saying that everyone can look out for themselves really make me angry. No one can live in a bubble permanently -especially if they have a family to take care of and a job. I was on lockdown for 3 months but now I have to take the kids to the park occasionally, go shopping, go to work occasionally, and just generally live my life.  I've been allowed to work from home for longer than my colleagues due to my health issues but eventually I'm going to have to go back to work. 

[JoJo]

You've kind of mixed and matched... risk of being exposed, and risk of having a bad case.

better choices:

High risk of exposure, with co-morbidity
High risk of exposure, without co-morbidity
Low risk of exposure, with co-morbidity
Low risk of exposure, without co-morbidity

[LetItGrow]

I've have health issues that put me at higher risk.  The threads saying that everyone can look out for themselves really make me angry. No one can live in a bubble permanently -especially if they have a family to take care of and a job. I was on lockdown for 3 months but now I have to take the kids to the park occasionally, go shopping, go to work occasionally, and just generally live my life.  I've been allowed to work from home for longer than my colleagues due to my health issues but eventually I'm going to have to go back to work.

Why do you now 'have to take the kids to the park....' what changed? I get the having to go to the office, and of course out for provisions, but the park and 'live my life' aren’t in that same category. Just curious.

I have no risk factors, and am doing exactly what I told my group they should consider doing as we left the building mid March- I have increased my working out. Stronger and fitter is my defense. Oh, and I never go anywhere without a mask. So easy of a measure to take.

[wenchsenior]

I have multiple autoimmune diseases.  My normal immune system is NOT normal,although I'm relatively fit otherwise.  Unfortunately, I don't know if my system would react hard enough that I'd be asymptomatic or go off the rails overreacting and put me in an ICU.  Thankfully I can work from home, the rest of my life is normally socially distant (natural introvert) and our area hasn't had huge spikes despite our dumbass state (Wisconsin)...so my overall risk is fairly low.

Same. Multiple mild diagnosed autoimmune diseases and a previous scary incident of a suite of autoimmune neurological and muscular symptoms (similar to a thyroid storm and/or Guillain Barre) that flared for more than a month (with several more months to recovery) related to a previous mildly symptomatic virus exposure.  I have no way of knowing if my system might respond mildly, or might go absolutely insane if exposed to this, but I'm not optimistic it's the former. And my dumbass state is dumber than your (my former) dumbass state, so I'm VERY careful.

In addition, my mother and a LOT of my close friends have elevated risk factors.

Also, if you are obese, that is considered a risk factor, yet I regularly have spoken to people who are extremely overweight and yet describe themselves as 'low risk'.  If people with a visibly obvious risk factor can convince themselves that they aren't in a higher risk group, then I wouldn't be surprised if there's a huge subgroup of people who have convinced themselves they are low risk, when they are not.

[Kris]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

Kris, why is type A blood a risk factor?

Preliminary data suggest people with type A blood are at higher risk of contracting Covid.

[FIRE Artist]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

Kris, why is type A blood a risk factor?

Because this disease is all kinds of crazy, people with type O blood seem less likely to test positive and people with type A are more likely to go into respiratory failure if they get it.

It astonishes me that people continue to be cavalier about this even if they are “low risk”.  Not dying of it if you get it today does not mean you won’t end up with complications years from now from this.  We just don’t know enough about long term affects of this disease and the known effects are crazy enough that people should be super cautious.  Kawasaki syndrome and COVID toes in kids is caused by this..why risk your kids getting it?

[John Galt incarnate!]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

Kris, why is type A blood a risk factor?

Preliminary data suggest people with type A blood are at higher risk of contracting Covid.

Noted.

[maisymouser]

Also here to chime in having multiple autoimmune disorders. I didn't know so many replies would contain that kind of issue!

I am on immunosuppressants that put me at higher risk of getting severe COVID, but there's not much information yet to really understand what that actually looks like for people on my meds.

[MudPuppy]

I work at hospitals, have type A blood, mild asthma.

[bogart]

I'm over 50, but under 60, with type O blood, and female, so the first one's not great but those last 2 work in my favor.  Per @LetItGrow's thoughts, I'm getting somewhat more exercise than previously, but also, and perhaps more to the point, more sleep.  I'm frighteningly privileged, really, able to WFH (and still employed, so far).  Don't, in fact, have to go out for supplies, for now we've found we can have pretty much everything we need delivered.

DH has several points against him -- in his 60s, prior smoker, type A blood, male.  We also live with my mom, who's otherwise in good categories (not sure of her blood type), but in her 80s, so we're trying to be careful.

[Bloop Bloop]

I have no risk factors

Hope I'm not jinxing myself.

[Hula Hoop]

My husband has multiple risk factors.

As for me, the only one I have is type A blood.

Kris, why is type A blood a risk factor?

Preliminary data suggest people with type A blood are at higher risk of contracting Covid.
[/quote

Oh no.  I have type A blood plus a bunch of health issues that put me at risk.  Yay.

[Captain Cactus]

I have Addison's Disease, a pretty rare autoimmune disease.  I am maddened by how cavalier some people are being (ie my BIL, SIL, and by association their kids).  It's even starting to creep into my MIL and FIL's behavior.  Cavalier!

[SimpleCycle]

Also, if you are obese, that is considered a risk factor, yet I regularly have spoken to people who are extremely overweight and yet describe themselves as 'low risk'.  If people with a visibly obvious risk factor can convince themselves that they aren't in a higher risk group, then I wouldn't be surprised if there's a huge subgroup of people who have convinced themselves they are low risk, when they are not.

The original "high-risk" guidance only applied to a BMI of 40 or above (so a 5'4" person weighing 235 lbs, or a 5'10" person weighing 280 lbs), but it's been revised by the CDC a few days ago to include anyone with a BMI of 30 or above.  Risk increases with BMI, so the extent of obesity matters.

I suspect a lot of people perceive themselves to be lower risk than they actually are, like you said.

[ChickenStash]

My only known risk factor is being overweight although I don't have the other corresponding risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. I've been working on that problem but it's slow going.

I'm type O so I guess that makes me invincible, though. I had always thought as much. :)

[jrhampt]

I wouldn't consider myself to be high risk, but I do have Type A blood, as does my husband.

[wenchsenior]

How the heck does everyone seem to know their blood type?  I get annual physicals with full blood work, plus a bunch of extra bloodwork for my aforementioned autoimmune/endocrine issues, and I've never seen blood type reported anywhere.  No clue what type I am.

[G-dog]

More than one of the options is true for me - I have at least one risk factor, and Spouse has several.  Spouse’s multiple risk factors drove my selection, but I see the first 3 could be true for any given person.

[ChickenStash]

How the heck does everyone seem to know their blood type?  I get annual physicals with full blood work, plus a bunch of extra bloodwork for my aforementioned autoimmune/endocrine issues, and I've never seen blood type reported anywhere.  No clue what type I am.

If you ask them to include that info in the results, they probably will. In my case, I donate blood periodically so the donation center told me and keeps it on file.

[G-dog]

How the heck does everyone seem to know their blood type?  I get annual physicals with full blood work, plus a bunch of extra bloodwork for my aforementioned autoimmune/endocrine issues, and I've never seen blood type reported anywhere.  No clue what type I am.

If you ask them to include that info in the results, they probably will. In my case, I donate blood periodically so the donation center told me and keeps it on file.

We also did blood typing as an exercise in high school biology.  But I know because of blood donation.

[kite]

Being alive is a risk factor for coronavirus.
You’re probably going to catch it if you haven’t already.  It’s just a question of when, how large of a viral load and how strong your immune response will be. 

[BECABECA]

How the heck does everyone seem to know their blood type?  I get annual physicals with full blood work, plus a bunch of extra bloodwork for my aforementioned autoimmune/endocrine issues, and I've never seen blood type reported anywhere.  No clue what type I am.

If you ask them to include that info in the results, they probably will. In my case, I donate blood periodically so the donation center told me and keeps it on file.

We also did blood typing as an exercise in high school biology.  But I know because of blood donation.

Also, if you’ve ever had a major surgery, your blood type would have been tested then.

I don’t know my blood type, but I have had genetic testing and have one e4 variant of the ApoE gene that puts me at elevated risk for developing Alzheimer’s. This gene variant has now also been linked to elevated risk of severe covid. While my risk of severe covid is only slightly elevated with the one e4 variant, my wife’s risk of severe covid is significantly elevated as she has got the e4 variant from each parent.

Basically, if you have relatives who have had Alzheimer’s, you could very likely be at elevated risk for severe covid and have no idea.

[kite]

How the heck does everyone seem to know their blood type?  I get annual physicals with full blood work, plus a bunch of extra bloodwork for my aforementioned autoimmune/endocrine issues, and I've never seen blood type reported anywhere.  No clue what type I am.

If you ask them to include that info in the results, they probably will. In my case, I donate blood periodically so the donation center told me and keeps it on file.

We also did blood typing as an exercise in high school biology.  But I know because of blood donation.

Also, if you’ve ever had a major surgery, your blood type would have been tested then.

I don’t know my blood type, but I have had genetic testing and have one e4 variant of the ApoE gene that puts me at elevated risk for developing Alzheimer’s. This gene variant has now also been linked to elevated risk of severe covid. While my risk of severe covid is only slightly elevated with the one e4 variant, my wife’s risk of severe covid is significantly elevated as she has got the e4 variant from each parent.

Basically, if you have relatives who have had Alzheimer’s, you could very likely be at elevated risk for severe covid and have no idea.

Good to know.  Hadn’t heard of the AZ link. 
Two of my nephews (30ish) had Covid.  One felt sick for about 24 hours.  The other spent 6 weeks on a ventilator.  A few of my older (50’s & 60’s) relatives have had it and had the classic “worst flu of their lives” feeling for about a week. But the contrast between our nephews was jarring.  And then the possibility that more of us have had completely asymptomatic cases is just mind boggling. 

[partgypsy]

No personal risk factors, working 80% remotely with safety factors at work. My boss is at higher risk (she needs to do shifts in hospital and most likely interact with covid + people, but our meetings since late March  are remote at this point. I normally visit my family which would include my elderly mom, but skipping it this year. My kids will be allowed to vacation with their other grandmother later this summer if they have negative covid tests (do not catch it) so our household so far being "good". However as things are opening up there will be more temptations moving forward.

[Cranky]

I have moderate risks factors - age, mild asthma, type A blood. My dh has higher risk factors.

We know several people who have been extremely ill and one person who has died (aged 33, no risk factors.)

I have 0 interest in getting sick with this. What a roll of the dice!

Also, because this is a new virus, no one knows the effects 10 or 20 years if you have it and recover .

[PDXTabs]

I have very well controlled asthma, but it used to be worse and I'm worried what would happen if I get sick.

[StarBright]

Being alive is a risk factor for coronavirus.
You’re probably going to catch it if you haven’t already.  It’s just a question of when, how large of a viral load and how strong your immune response will be.

Sure, but I'd much rather catch it after it has been around long enough to study, and after they've confirmed therapeutics and treatment for it.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I have a reasonably well controlled autoimmune disease

[ysette9]

I’ve got type A blood, which I know due to multiple hospitalizations and fallout from pregnancy losses, high-risk pregnancies, etc.

[Catbert]

DH and I are both over 65 (one over 70).  We are both in good health with no other high risk medical conditions.  We wear masks anytime we are outside our house/yard.

We walk an hour daily wearing masks and crossing the street to avoid others.  Since mid-March we haven't eaten out, gotten a massage, visited a gym, or been inside anyone else's house.  We do get take-out once a week and have a social distancing happy hour with another couple (outside, masks, 6 ft, byo drink).  We got our hair cut a couple of weeks ago (first customers of the day with no one beside our stylist in the salon). The one one who has inside our house is our cleaner.  We paid her to stay home initially, but now have her coming again.  We stay out of the house for several hours after she leaves.

[Jezibelle]

I'm fat, type A, and visit my parents who are 65 and 70 with health issues. I also have a newly diagnosed allergy to my dog, which seems to manifest in lung-stuff instead of itchy eyes and sneezing. I also live alone, which means if i get this I probably suffocate and die at home, and nobody will know to take care of my dog, so.

ETA: Oh, and I started out quarantine testing positive for mycoplasma pneumoniae when I was having lung pain.

[teen persuasion]

You've kind of mixed and matched... risk of being exposed, and risk of having a bad case.

better choices:

High risk of exposure, with co-morbidity
High risk of exposure, without co-morbidity
Low risk of exposure, with co-morbidity
Low risk of exposure, without co-morbidity

Thank you - that would be much clearer.  I was having trouble figuring out which "risk" was meant.

No co-morbidities for me, DH maybe a bit elevated because of weight.  We've been staying away from my parents to protect them, because they are 80/90, but they'd like to have the family together for the Fourth.  Still leery.

As for exposure, currently pretty low, because we are in a county that has relatively low numbers, and DH and I are both WFH most of the time, and DS5 has been home since March.  DS4 stayed on campus until May, but essentially quarantined in his apartment with roommates while doing online courses.  If/when work reopens fully, I work in a public library, so more exposed, and DH is an alternative school teacher, so exposed to kids from multiple districts bussed in and residential students living in cottages on campus.  When we restart ILL, I will be handling circulating items from nearly 2 dozen libraries over 3 counties.  We are working on  the premise that the virus lasts no longer than a few days on plastic/cardboard/paper, so quarantining items 72 hours, but the one delivery guy could be the potential vector by visiting a dozen or so libraries on any given day.  We ALL interact with him.

[JoJo]

I'm A+ blood, unfortunately.  I was obese... until 2 days ago!  40 pounds lost in quarantine and more to go, but BMI below 30 for the first  time in years. 

[MoseyingAlong]

I'm A+ blood, unfortunately.  I was obese... until 2 days ago!  40 pounds lost in quarantine and more to go, but BMI below 30 for the first  time in years.

@JoJo Congrats! That's quite an accomplishment.

[wenchsenior]

I'm A+ blood, unfortunately.  I was obese... until 2 days ago!  40 pounds lost in quarantine and more to go, but BMI below 30 for the first  time in years.

Yowza! Outstanding!

[PDXTabs]

I was obese... until 2 days ago!  40 pounds lost in quarantine and more to go, but BMI below 30 for the first  time in years.

Congrats!

I went from overweight to normal weight (down ~12 pounds) for the first time in maybe 10 years, but you accomplished way more than I did.

But seriously, lockdown seems to be good for weight loss and exercise.

[economista]

I have A- blood, asthma, and I'm pregnant. They don't have any studies suggesting pregnancy makes you higher risk for COVID specifically, but they do know pregnant women are at higher risk for getting influenza because their bodies have more of the receptors for the virus to make their way in. Since covid is a variation fo flu they think it puts pregnant women at higher risk of contracting it.

In regards to knowing your blood type, if you have ever donated blood you would know, and if you have ever been pregnant. That +/- Rh factor becomes very important in pregnancy.

[BECABECA]

I have A- blood, asthma, and I'm pregnant. They don't have any studies suggesting pregnancy makes you higher risk for COVID specifically, but they do know pregnant women are at higher risk for getting influenza because their bodies have more of the receptors for the virus to make their way in. Since covid is a variation fo flu they think it puts pregnant women at higher risk of contracting it.

In regards to knowing your blood type, if you have ever donated blood you would know, and if you have ever been pregnant. That +/- Rh factor becomes very important in pregnancy.

This was revised by the CDC last week:

Pregnant women were significantly more likely to be hospitalized, admitted to the intensive care unit, and receive mechanical ventilation than nonpregnant women; however, pregnant women were not at greater risk for death from COVID-19.

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0625-update-expands-covid-19.html

[wenchsenior]

I have A- blood, asthma, and I'm pregnant. They don't have any studies suggesting pregnancy makes you higher risk for COVID specifically, but they do know pregnant women are at higher risk for getting influenza because their bodies have more of the receptors for the virus to make their way in. Since covid is a variation fo flu they think it puts pregnant women at higher risk of contracting it.

In regards to knowing your blood type, if you have ever donated blood you would know, and if you have ever been pregnant. That +/- Rh factor becomes very important in pregnancy.

Tell that to my mom LOL.  I called her today asking if she knew her own blood type or mine.  She didn't know either, even after three pregnancies including the emergency surgery c-section that produced me. I'm sure she knew briefly at some point, but there's been no reason to remember since the 1980s...

[Cooper62]

I have type 2 diabetes and type A blood.  20 year old daughter has asthma.  Husband has a brain disease that acts somewhat like MS.  Teenage son is only one in the house that doesn't have any risk factors.  He's the one that is toughest to keep in.  I know as parents we can tell him he can't go out but after three months of lock down in the house it started being unhealthy for him to stay in all the time.  We try to be reasonable with what he is doing.  Always has loved the outdoors so he can go to the park with friends and hike, swimming and bonfires.  We try to keep the hanging out with the same group of boys.  My 20 year old daughter is responsible and always wears a face covering when she goes out.  I'm worried about sending her back to campus next month.  Just glad she's a junior and moving off campus this year.  She's got a four bedroom two bath apartment she's sharing with three other girls.  Will be much easier for her to social distance out of the dorms.  I'm imagining classrooms will require masks.  I'm able to work from home for now.  My office is starting to bring employees back at 50% capacity but my manager is still in the wait and see mode so no pressure I think at least through the summer to go back.  30% of our workforce was furloughed and most not coming back and I've really slammed picking up extra work.  It makes it more manageable to work from home and take breaks when needed and not sit in the office for 12 hours/day.

[Rosy]

High risk - due to age, hypertension, blood type A-Rh-neg, Sjogrens-immune disorder.

It feels sort of surreal to follow the discussions about death rates.
That number you are discussing is me - I'm here and alive and not ready to die; despite how expendable people over 70 obviously are.

I stay informed because what you don't know might kill you. Infection is inevitable, but until then we both do all we can to protect ourselves.
It took me a while to process and accept that eventually, this virus will find us all. It is a scary thought even though just like some of the young people, sometimes I just want to get it over with, no matter how foolish or irrational that might be, potentially deadly even.

I'm particularly glad that I took that three-month-long bucket-list trip to Europe last year to visit family and friends and see Paris and my favorite haunts once more.

FWIW I didn't need the CDC's or anyone else's stamp of approval to want to wear a mask. The US isn't so special that masks magically do not work here. China, Asia, and Europe already proved that it is good protection.
Think about it - scientists developed masks for protection from disease. Hospitals have used them routinely for decades - so why wouldn't I wear one?
Wear the damn mask! Sheesh!
 

[Cassie]

We are high risk due to age, HBP and asthma. My husband has diabetes. Luckily we both have type O blood.