UK reports first Omicron death: Find out who is more prone to severe COVID-19 infection

The emergence of COVID's Omicron variant set off another wave of chaos and panic. Up until now, the new variant has spread like wildfire and has been found in 63 countries, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, the global health agency suggests that it is set to surpass the Delta variant in the race of transmission.

To make things worse, the UK government on Monday officially announced the death of a person, who was reportedly infected with the Omicron variant. The B.1.1.529 variant, which was thought to be 'mild' has led to its first case of fatality, which is a concern for those at greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection.

Read also: Omicron versus Delta: How to differentiate between the two?

The SARs-COV-2 virus is highly unpredictable. While some people are asymptomatic or develop mild to moderate infection, there are those who are subject to severe illness. The progression of the disease is also a concern for many. What may look like a mild infection initially, may develop into something more dangerous and concerning.

That said, it is important to keep a track of all your symptoms and its progression. While a mild illness from COVID-19 may cause fever, dry cough, fatigue, headache and loss of sense of smell and taste, if you experience shortness of breath, chest pain, have difficulty in breathing or if your oxygen levels tend to deteriorate, seek medical help immediately.

There is no denying that COVID-19 grievously impacts those with pre-existing health conditions. Even before the onset of coronavirus, people suffering with chronic medical conditions remained at major risk of developing new illnesses.

Given that COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, individuals suffering with lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary embolism or asthmatic patients are more prone to developing severe coronavirus infections.

Additionally, it is important to note that COVID-19 is not just a lung infection, rather it can cause inflammation and damage many other 'vital' organs, such as the heart, brain, kidney, liver and more. That said, if a person has a pre-existing cardiovascular disease, or is diabetic or has a fatty liver, they are more susceptible to COVID-induced complications than a more healthy individual.

Age could also be a risk factor to severe COVID infections. Those who are 65 years old and above may be more prone to serious illness. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people aged 65 and above comprise over 42% of those who end up in the hospital due to COVID-19. The reasons are somewhat obvious. Most older adults are more likely to have long-term health problems that can put them at increased risk for severe effects from COVID-19.

Also, considering people's immune system weakens with age, it becomes difficult to fight off infections and the inflammation caused in the body could be more severe, resulting in organ damage. This is why, when it comes to vaccination, people above the age of 45 are prioritized for the vaccine, given that they're more susceptible to the virus than younger age groups.

Our immune system plays an important role in battling infections and viral particles. It is what keeps us healthy and keeps illnesses at bay.

Having said that, a weakened immune system is no good to us. Many diseases and medical treatments can weaken your immune system, putting you at a greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection. A weakened immune system could be the result of some genetic conditions, untreated HIV, long-term steroid use, organ or blood stem cell transplants, and certain types of cancer and associated treatments.

Young or old, obesity can be a major risk factor for many illnesses.

As far as COVID-19 is concerned, higher Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with increased risk of severe coronavirus infection. As per CDC, obesity is a metabolic disease, possibly related to chronic inflammation that disrupts immune and thrombogenic responses to pathogens and impairs lung function from excess weight.

That said, both diabetes and obesity reduce the efficiency of a person's immune system, which is responsible for fighting off infections. That said, one should not only manage their blood sugar levels, they should also eat healthy and in the right proportion to manage their weight.

COVID-19 vaccines have become and will remain crucial, especially when new variants continue to emerge and vulnerable groups of people remain at risk.

While breakthrough infections have occured in the past and vaccinated or not, you're still at risk of contracting the virus, COVID vaccines are said to reduce severity. It minimizes the risk of hospitalization and makes you less prone to complications and more importantly death.

Currently, vigilance and vaccination are the two most important weapons you can use to protect yourself and your loved ones against the deadly SARs-COV-2 virus.

Given the emergence of newer variants and the additional woes of waning vaccine immunity, a booster shot is expected to provide better protection against the deadly virus and its variants. It is said to re-expose a person's immune system to the immunizing antigen, the memory of which (after the previous dose) could have been lost over a period of time.

While India is yet to begin booster administration, several countries have stepped up and have started offering vaccine boosters to people at risk.