Why it’s crucial to shield the elderly from coronavirus infection in Africa
The centralised distribution of social grants in SA exacerbates the threats to the elderly in rural areas
A common global Covid-19 risk factor, independent of region, is that faced by the elderly. Older people are at a higher risk of contracting severe forms of the disease not only because age itself is a factor, but also because they are more likely to have other underlying conditions that increase the probability of death.
A Covid study in China from 1,590 laboratory-confirmed hospitalised patients from 575 hospitals found that 25.1% of the sample presented at least one comorbidity, of which the most prevalent was hypertension (16.9%), followed by diabetes (8.2%), both more common among older patients. The study concluded that among the confirmed cases of Covid, patients with any comorbidity yielded poorer clinical outcomes than those without...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.