COVID-19 Disease in 2022
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Fact checked by Robert Carlson, MD
COVID-19 Disease in 2022
Since 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been closely monitoring the worldwide outbreak of a novel beta coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which is causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans.
The CDC's Data Tracker dashboard publishes a variety of information that is perpetually updated.
People at Risk from COVID-19 Disease
COVID-19 is a new disease, and scientists are still learning how it spreads. However, the CDC confirmed that most people hospitalized for COVID-19 were older, obese, and had comorbidities like hypertension, cardiovascular, diabetes, and metabolic diseases. About 15% of fatal COVID-19 patients over 70 have antibodies that disable a crucial part of the immune system. These "autoantibodies" attack a protein called interferon, which allows the coronavirus to multiply.
On March 30, 2022, a study conducted in the U.K. published by the BMC reported, 'Of 343,850 'unhealthy' participants (mean age > 60 years) with complete data, 0.21% died from COVID-19, and 0.76% had severe COVID-19.
Obesity and COVID-19
On February 18, 2022, March 8, 2021, and October 6, 2020, the CDC stated, 'Obesity increases the risk for severe COVID-19–associated illness. In addition, obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death. These findings highlight clinical and public health implications of higher BMIs, including the need for intensive management of COVID-19–associated illness. And children with obesity may have worse outcomes from COVID-19. In a study of COVID-19 patients ages 18 years and younger, those with obesity had a 3.1 times higher risk of hospitalization and 1.4 times higher risk of severe illness when hospitalized, meaning that they were admitted to the intensive care unit, needed invasive mechanical ventilation, or died. A genetic study published on March 4, 2021, suggests that the risk for COVID-19 hospitalization rises by about 5%-10% per kg/m2 increase in BMI. The evidence linking obesity to adverse COVID-19 outcomes is "overwhelmingly clear," U.K. experts stated on August 10, 2021.
Diabetes and COVID-19
And a CDC study of U.S. insurance databases found diabetes was significantly more common in children who had COVID-19. And the Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego found Type 1 diabetes cases jumped almost 60% during the first year of the pandemic, compared with the previous 12 months, researchers reported recently in JAMA Pediatrics.
COVID-19 Breakthrough Cases
The U.S. CDC says 'vaccine breakthrough cases are expected. COVID-19 vaccines are effective; however, no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing illness. As a result, some fully vaccinated people may be hospitalized or die from COVID-19.' An updated listing of immunity studies is published at this link.
Heart Health Risks and COVID-19
Myocarditis or pericarditis incidence after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in the current study (0–35.9 per 100,000 for males and 0–10.9 for females across age groups and vaccine cohorts) was similar to estimates found in a study from eight U.S. health systems in the Vaccine Safety Datalink. The Lancet published results from a systematic review and meta-analysis on April 11, 2022, which found among people who received COVID-19 vaccines, the incidence of myopericarditis was significantly higher in males, in people younger than 30 years, after receiving an mRNA vaccine, and after a second dose of vaccine (vs. a first or third dose).
Congenital and acquired heart conditions such as biventricular defects, cardiac arrest, and heart failure are associated with increased COVID-19 risk in children and morbidity may be increased among individuals children younger than 12 years with previous cardiac arrest reported a study published in JAMA Network Open on May 17, 2022.
Mucocutaneous Manifestations in COVID-19 Patients
As the largest organ in the body, the skin could be a visible reflection of histopathological incidents in vital organs such as the brain, kidney, and lungs. Dermatologists and physicians of all the other specialties should be familiarized with severe mucocutaneous manifestations in COVID-19 patients since they might predict critical forms of the illness. Particularly, vascular events and severe hypersensitivity drug eruptions must be identified promptly, and proper treatment is warranted, which is further challenging in ICU admitted patients with multiple underlying conditions.
COVID-19 Preventive Vaccines
The COVID-19 vaccine development landscape includes various innovative platforms, says the U.S. FDA. To review a listing of experimental COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, please visit this CoronavirusToday webpage.
Coronavirus FAQs
Note: Content sourced from the CDC, WHO, various governments, news agencies, social media networks, and the Precision Vax news network. All of the posts have been reviewed by medical professionals.
