How to Assess and Reduce Your Personal Risk of Covid-19
The average age of people dying with Covid-19 in Australia is 84. Most deaths happen among people with comorbidities such as obesity or chronic kidney disease. Covid-19 poses different risks to each of us: consider the following when assessing your personal risk.
Many people have been caught up in the fear being generated by Australia’s governments and the media. When we are stuck in “fight or flight” mode because we are frightened, it can be challenging to think clearly about the issues.
Government representatives have perpetuated misinformation and terror when they appear in the media telling people that the virus will kill them or that they would never want to be near an unvaccinated person.
Many have come to equate unvaccinated with infected, and they now fearfully endorse discrimination and segregation without fully thinking it through.
Assessing Your Risk
While any person can become infected with Covid-19, individual risk matters. There is substantial evidence that particular risk factors – from age to underlying health conditions – make a difference in whether you may experience the virus as a mild cold or end up in hospital.
Older age is the most significant risk factor, with the number of deaths among people over 65 in the United States being 80 times the death rate of those between the ages of 18 and 29. In Australia, the average age of people dying with Covid-19 is 84. This figure exceeds the average life expectancy by more than a year.
Comorbidities are those conditions that are present in a person alongside a particular disease – in this case, Covid-19. There are very specific comorbidities that increase the risk of hospitalisation and death, which may factor into your vaccination or lifestyle choices. These include (in no particular order):
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cancer
This study found that respiratory disorders only add a small risk to Covid-19 sufferers.
Reducing Your Risk
Currently, people are being told, “there is nothing we can do for you, just go home and wait” when they are Covid-19 positive. In fact, there are things you may be able to do. Ensuring you are at your absolute healthiest, losing weight, getting your blood sugars as stable as you can, keeping stress low, and making decisions about treatments and your quality of life are very important.
Too many people are being isolated and made overly fearful with a positive diagnosis. As such, it is also essential to know that if you are not in a high-risk category, while you need to monitor your symptoms, you are likely to recover from Covid without being seriously ill.
Be armed with the research. Here are a few references for further consideration:
- Age-related comorbidities
- High-risk groups for severe Covid-19 in the Australian population
- Meta-analysis of 375,859 people in 14 countries found chronic kidney disease most prominent
- CDC list of common conditions associated with Covid-19 risk
Originally published at Debbie Garratt. Image by Fitsum Admasu at Unplash.
Recent Articles:
9 November 2026
3.1 MINS
John Anderson has repeatedly called for Australians to confront our cultural and moral decline and put courage over complacency.
9 November 2026
6.6 MINS
Americans made it clear that if they have to choose between a nuclear-armed Iran and high fuel prices, they'll accept a nuclear-armed Iran, along with some supporters of the Iranian regime in their own halls of power. Our own government is just as short-sighted.
9 November 2026
12.5 MINS
The election of transgender candidates and Tasmania’s sweeping conversion-practices ban illustrate a civilisational crisis. While the 'anti-conversion' bill has already passed the lower house, one MP's opposing speech was a clarion call for sanity in a time when people had sadly lost their minds.
9 November 2026
1.3 MINS
NSW Health has apologised after admitting 20,000 Year 12 students were not given sufficient information for informed consent before receiving Covid vaccinations.
6 November 2026
4.1 MINS
Sophie Cunningham has drawn attention over her stance against men in women's sports. But behind the basketball star's tenacity is her Christian faith. Baptised in April, she has spoken openly about it, saying, "I just love Jesus."
6 November 2026
9.7 MINS
Australia is confronting something far greater than an economic crisis. We are facing a crisis of national leadership, responsibility and spiritual direction. To the Australian Government, I say: Wake up. To the Australian Church, I say: Rise up.
6 November 2026
3.7 MINS
Trump's MAGA movement made serious inroads in the culture war despite the mistakes that led to the Midterms electoral wipeout. Protesting against fuel prices and an ongoing war in Iran, most people are oblivious to the all-out assault on Western civilisation.
