Covid-19 Geriatric Considerations

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, moved across the globe at an unprecedented speed, and is having profound and yet still unfolding health and socioeconomic impacts in the elderly. SARS-CoV-2, a \(\beta\)-coronavirus, is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen that causes a disease that has been termed the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Clinical features in the elderly thus far indicate that COVID-19 is highly diverse, ranging from being without symptoms and mild to severe symptoms and causing mortality. The elderly risk factors including increasing age, male gender, smoking, obesity sex, and comorbid conditions are key determinants of disease severity and progression. The elderly may present with fever, myalgia, headache, nausea, vomiting, nasal congestion, sore throat cough, dyspnea, chest pain, excessive sputum production, asthenia, diarrhea, falls, ageusia, anosmia, delirium, body weakness, aphasia, hypotension, low oxygen saturation, low mood and anhedonia.