High-risk for COVID-19? Here’s what you need to know

If you’re 65 or older, or in a high-risk group, and haven’t gotten an updated COVID-19 booster yet, now is the time. Authorized as of September 2022, updated COVID-19 boosters now include protection against both the original virus and several omicron variants. Updated boosters give you the best chance of avoiding getting really sick, needing to be hospitalized, or even dying as a result of a COVID-19 infection.

Three groups of people are at higher risk of getting very sick with COVID-19: people who are 65 or older, people with compromised immune systems and people with certain medical conditions.

High-risk group 1: People age 65 or older

The biggest risk factor for severe COVID-19 is older age. That means if you’re 65 or older, no matter how healthy you are, you’re at higher risk of getting really sick, including needing to go to the hospital or needing a machine to help you breathe. The good news is that adults 65 and older who were fully vaccinated with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine had a 94% reduction in risk of COVID-19.

High-risk group 2: People whose immune systems don’t work well

The job of the body’s immune system is to stop illness-causing germs from getting into the body, to kill germs or to limit their effects if they do get in. Some people’s immune systems don’t work as they should, either because they have a certain medical condition or because they’re taking medications or treatments that prevent their immune system from working at full strength.

People with a weakened immune system, also known as immunocompromised, are at greater risk to get COVID-19, are more likely to get severely ill with it, and may take longer to recover from it.

High-risk group 3: People who have certain medical conditions

Some medical conditions can increase a person’s likelihood of getting really sick with COVID-19.  Some of the medical conditions that can increase the risk of severe COVID-19 include:

• Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney and liver disease
• Chronic lung disease, such as asthma, tuberculosis or pulmonary hypertension
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Heart disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy
• History of a transplant, whether solid organ or blood stem cells
• HIV
• Substance use disorders and mood disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Stroke or cerebrovascular disease

Smoking and physical inactivity can also put people at risk.

If you’re in a high-risk group, staying up to date with the recommended vaccines and boosters is key to protecting yourself from COVID-19. That’s because your body’s immunity gets weaker over time, and boosters can increase, or “boost,” your protection.

And there is great news: The updated COVID-19 boosters now available are formulated to target both the original COVID-19 strain and the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants. That means the updated boosters offer broader overall protection from the virus.  

The CDC recommends updated COVID-19 boosters for people age 5 and older who completed their primary two-shot series or received a booster at least two months ago.

You can get your updated COVID-19 booster at your local Walgreens pharmacy. To schedule an appointment, visit Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine.

Published December 2022.