COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review: Interpretive Summary for March 11, 2022

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Protect Those at Risk
• Corporate Authors:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
• Description:
  Interpretive Summary for March 11, 2022
  
  Protect Those at Risk
  
  At this point in the pandemic, many people are at much lower risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Vaccination and testing levels are high, treatments are more advanced and widely available, and the population has increased immunity through vaccination or previous infection. While low community risk is welcome news, we know that low risk does not mean no risk. Some people and places are still at high risk for serious illness, and they face challenging decisions.
  
  Who is most likely to become very sick or die from COVID-19? Your chances increase with age and underlying medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, dementia, and obesity, particularly if you’re not up to date on vaccinations. People with weakened immune systems,* some disabilities, some mental health conditions, and some chronic diseases are also at higher risk. A lot of people might not know they’re at risk for severe illness—review the list to find out if you could be.
  
  COVID-19 Community Levels can help people protect themselves and navigate this new phase of the pandemic. If you are at high risk, make sure you’re up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and wear a well-fitting mask indoors in areas with medium or high COVID-19 Community Levels. If someone you visit with is at high risk, take a rapid test right before a visit. Staying outside is always safest, but if the visit is indoors, make sure the ventilation is good and consider wearing a well-fitting mask. People at high risk, and the whole community, can be safe only when we all protect each other.
  
  *People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have specific COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for the primary series and booster dose due to their different immune response following COVID-19 vaccination. For more information, visit CDC’s website.
  
  Note to Readers: COVID-19 Community Levels do not apply in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Instead, healthcare settings should continue to use community transmission rates and follow CDC’s infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare workers.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Communicable Disease Control Coronavirus Infections/prevention & Control COVID-19 Local Government Pandemics Public Health Public Health Practice
• Series:
  CDC COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review
• Document Type:
  Text
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ad02e1b106fb97f5be3eb28abf882e95816da0d41a872cee092e271be890c8ffba1a4d6af644c5acd594a46d0e6e01706960588017c7856e216eaa60f751674f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/115392/cdc_115392_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.21 MB ]