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This respiratory illness season, avoiding a COVID infection should be high on your priority list—especially if you’re age 65 or older, you have one or more chronic health conditions, or you’re immunocompromised.
While COVID vaccine recommendations have changed over time, the best defenses against the virus have stayed largely the same: making sure your vaccinations are up to date, wearing a mask in appropriate settings, and washing your hands frequently. Here’s what older adults should know about staying safe and healthy through every season.
Factors That Increase your Risk of Severe COVID-19
| Older age |
Age 65 or older (risk increases with age) |
| Chronic lung disease |
Asthma (moderate to severe), COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis |
| Heart conditions |
Heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy |
| Diabetes |
Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes |
| Overweight and obesity |
Body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher (overweight), 30 or higher (obesity), 40 or higher (severe obesity) |
| Chronic kidney disease |
Including people on dialysis |
| Chronic liver disease |
Cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, hepatitis |
| Weakened immune system |
Due to cancer treatment, organ transplant, HIV, immune-suppressing medications |
| Neurologic conditions |
Dementia, stroke, other conditions affecting the brain or nerves |
| Blood disorders |
Sickle cell disease, thalassemia |
| Disabilities |
Certain physical disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries) |
Is COVID still around?
Yes. COVID cases are rising in Califonia and other communities across America. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID, circulates not just during cold and flu season, but year-round.
According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between Oct. 1, 2025 and July 18, 2026 there were:
- Up to 12.6 million COVID-related illnesses
- Up to 2.3 million COVID-related outpatient visits
- Up to 240,000 COVID-related hospitalizations
- Up to 41,000 COVID-related deaths1
How risky is COVID now for older adults?
The risk of becoming seriously ill, getting hospitalized, or dying increases with age. CDC estimates that 81% of COVID deaths happen among people who are older than 65.2
Underlying health conditions like cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, weakened immune system, and sickle cell disease continue to add to the already elevated COVID risk levels for older adults.
That’s why it’s important to stay mindful of your health—by keeping up with vaccines, practicing good handwashing, and making safe choices in crowded places when needed. Taking these steps helps you continue enjoying the things you love while protecting yourself and those around you.
Who else is at high risk for severe COVID?
If you have one or more chronic health conditions, you’re more likely to get very sick with COVID. The more underlying health conditions you have, the greater the risk.
Conditions that raise your risk for severe COVID include:
- Cerebrovascular disease (including stroke)
- Chronic liver and kidney disease
- Cancer
- Obesity
- Chronic lung disease
- Dementia or Parkinson's disease
- Heart disease
- HIV
- Cystic fibrosis
Certain lifestyle behaviors, like smoking or physical inactivity, can also increase your risk for serious illness.
What has changed about COVID prevention?
While official public health guidance may have changed, vaccination remains one of the most effective ways for older adults to avoid severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID and other respiratory viruses like the flu and RSV.
“Getting vaccinated takes a few minutes,” says Dorothea Vafiadis, NCOA Senior Strategist for Healthy Aging. “And for adults 65 and older and those with comorbidities, the benefits are powerful—even life-saving.”
NCOA advises older adults to talk with their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about their personal health risks and get updated COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines for the best protection.
“Immunization can help preserve your quality of life and ensure you stay healthy and active for as long as possible,” Vafiadis explains.
Will COVID eventually fade away?
Just like the flu and other infectious diseases, COVID is a disease we’ll probably be living with for a long time. It’s endemic, according to CDC officials. That simply means it’s here to stay, much like the flu and the common cold. While COVID has some seasonal patterns like the flu, it can also be unpredictable and peak at all different times throughout the year.
How can I reduce my risk of COVID-19?
Your best strategy to avoid COVID infection is a layered series of protections:
1. Get vaccinated
First and foremost, it’s important to stay up to date on your COVID vaccinations. Getting vaccinated is still the best defense against serious illness, hospitalization, and death from this virus. Compared with people who didn't receive an updated COVID shot, a new study showed that vaccinated adults were:
- 26% less likely to need emergency or urgent care
- 35% less likely to be hospitalized
- 41% less likely to become critically ill4
Another study found adults who received a COVID vaccine had a 37.7% lower risk of serious heart-related complications. People age 75 and older saw the biggest benefit; their risk was cut by about half.4
Vaccination against COVID may offer other protections, too. A Cedars-Sinai study found that vaccinated people had a lower risk of developing post-COVID diabetes.3 And a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health concluded COVID vaccines protect against such persisting—or "long COVID"—symptoms as kidney disease, cognitive problems, and sleeping disorders.5
2. Ask about post-exposure prophylaxis (preventive) treatment
Ensitrelvir (XOCOVA) is the first FDA-approved antiviral pill that may help reduce your risk of getting sick with COVID after you've been exposed to the virus. To work properly, it must be started as soon as possible, within 72 hours of exposure to someone with an active COVID infection. You take it for five days. Ensitrelvir must be prescribed by your health care provider.
3. Wear a high-quality mask
The CDC calls masks "an additional prevention strategy that you can choose to further protect yourself and others." Masks can help lower the spread of germs by blocking some of what you breathe in and out. If someone who is sick wears a mask, it reduces the chance of passing illness to others. Masks can also protect you from breathing in germs—especially N95 or KN95 masks that fit snugly around your mouth and nose.
It’s a good idea to wear the most protective mask you have available when:
- You are in a crowded space.
- There are many cases of respiratory illness in your community.
- You or someone close to you was recently exposed, is sick, or is getting better.
4. Wash your hands frequently
Not only does handwashing help stop the spread of COVID; it's a tried-and-true public health practice to protect against all types of infections like colds and flu. Most of us became expert hand-washers at the start of the pandemic, but it may be time for a refresher on hand hygiene best practices.
5. Take steps for cleaner air
COVID mainly spreads through tiny droplets and particles that come out when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes. These particles can spread through the air, especially indoors in crowded places with little airflow.
You can lower your risk by:
- Opening windows
- Using air purifiers
- Spending time outdoors, where the air is fresher
Find other preventive actions you can take from CDC's How to Protect Yourself and Others.
What should I do if I think I have COVID?
Keep a ready supply of COVID rapid tests at home so that you can test if you have symptoms of COVID. Your doctor’s office and local pharmacy may also offer quick and convenient COVID testing for older adults.
To learn about tests for COVID and where to get home rapid tests, check out this Guide to COVID-19 Testing for Seniors. When taking an at-home rapid test, be sure to follow the instructions carefully, as instructions may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
What should I do if I test positive for COVID?
If you test positive for COVID, notify your doctor right away—even if your symptoms are mild. Treatments are available that can decrease your chances of getting seriously ill and dying from COVID. This includes antiviral medications, available as pills (e.g., Paxlovid) or an IV infusion (e.g., remdesivir), that can help slow the virus from multiplying in your body. These treatments must be prescribed by a health care provider.
Antivirals for COVID work best when started as soon as possible after symptoms begin. The general timeframe is within five days for oral antivirals and within seven days for IV antiviral treatment.
People who are more likely to get very sick from covid are:
- Adults age 65 and older (with risk increasing with age)
- People with certain chronic medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, or a weakened immune system
- People who are not vaccinated against COVID
Want to know more about protecting your health? Visit our COVID-19 Safety and Protection page.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Who is at high risk for severe COVID?
Your risk is higher if you're age 65 or older, and it continues to increase with age. You may also be at greater risk if you’re living with one or more health conditions, like heart disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, or a weakened immune system (caused by a medical condition or certain medications).
People living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities also face a higher risk of severe illness.
If you fall into one of these groups, ask your health care provider about how to protect yourself, including staying up to date on recommended vaccinations and taking antiviral medications when appropriate.
Can I get the COVID and flu vaccines at the same time?
Yes. In most cases, you can safely get your COVID vaccine and flu vaccine during the same visit, says CDC. In fact, many health care providers encourage this.
Receiving both vaccines at the same time is convenient and helps ensure you're protected before respiratory virus season. It’s also been shown to produce a similar immune response as getting them separately.
Sources
1. CDC. Preliminary Estimates of COVID-19 Burden for 2025-2026. Accessed April 15, 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/covid/php/surveillance/burden-estimates.html
2. CDC. People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors. Updated June 11, 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/covid/risk-factors/index.html
3. Alan C. Kwan, et al. Association of COVID-19 Vaccination With Risk for Incident Diabetes After COVID-19 Infection. JAMA Network Open. Feb. 14, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/verified-covid-19-infection-increases-diabetes-risk/
4. Peng Gao, et al. Effect of COVID-19 Vaccines on Reducing the Risk of Long COVID in the Real World: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. September 2022. Found on the internet at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36231717/
