NOTE: Information and guidelines may change rapidly. Check in with listed references in ‘Learn More – Primary Sources’ to best keep up to date. This summary has been updated with the latest CDC guidelines on when to end quarantine.
The novel coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, is the pathogen underlying the pandemic (a global outbreak of disease). The disease associated with this virus has been officially named COVID-19. Coronaviruses represent a large family of viruses. They can cause human illness, but many are found in animals and, rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people as was the case in previous infectious outbreaks such as MERS and SARS.
Note: SpO2 is a key parameter for defining the illness categories listed above | Pulse oximetry has important limitations (e.g., skin pigmentation, thickness or temperature) | Clinicians who use SpO2 when assessing a patient must be aware of those limitations and conduct the assessment in the context of that patient’s clinical status
Pregnancy: Oxygen supplementation in pregnancy generally used when SpO2 <95% on room air at sea level to accommodate the physiologic needs of mother and fetus
Age is the strongest risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Approximately 54.1 million people aged 65 years or older reside in the United States; in 2020 this age group accounted for 81% of U.S. COVID-19 related deaths, and as of September 2021 the mortality rate in this group was more than 80 times the rate of those aged 18-29
Higher Risk: Meta-analysis or systematic review demonstrates good or strong evidence
Suggestive Higher Risk: Underlying medical condition or risk factor that neither has a published meta-analysis or systematic review nor completed the CDC systematic review process
Comorbidities with mostly case series, case reports, or, if other study design, the sample size is small
Mixed Evidence: Meta-analysis or systematic review is inconclusive, either because the aggregated data on the association between an underlying condition and severe COVID-19 outcomes are inconsistent in direction or there are insufficient data
Footnotes:
* indicates underlying conditions for which there is evidence for pregnant and non-pregnant people
‡ underlying conditions for which there is evidence in pediatric patients
CDC: Clinical Presentation | Clinical Care Considerations
CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019: Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2
Clinical Questions about COVID-19: Questions and Answers
WHO: Novel coronavirus Information Page
JAMA: Coronavirus Disease 2019
Annals of Internal Medicine: Content Related to Coronavirus in Annals of Internal Medicine
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