Tweaks made to CDC COVID-19 symptom list

This week, the CDC updated the COVID-19 symptom list to include congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. By themselves, these symptoms do not establish a definitive diagnosis of infection, but warrant attention in the current environment.

According to the most recent update as reported by BGR Media, the CDC recently changed the list of factors that can contribute to development of a severe case of the virus.

Age alone is now not a risk factor for development of a severe case. Older age was considered to be a red flag for developing some of the worst cases, but the thinking has changed. Another recent change was the addition of pregnancy to the list of higher risk situations, and finally the body mass index threshold was lowered from 40 to 30 as a risk factor.

Any of the following disease in persons of any age can result in a severe case of COVID-19: chronic kidney disease; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); an immunocompromised state from solid organ transplant; obesity; heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies; sickle cell disease; and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

These changes reflect new observations about the virus that likely will continue to change with increasing study.