General state of health ‘crucial to chances of recovery from virus’
THE STATE of a person’s health before they become infected with Covid-19 appears to play a “crucial role” in determining how well they recover, global health leaders have said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said yesterday that people in lockdown should try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The European branch of the WHO said older people with high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease have a significantly increased risk of death from Covid-19.
It urged people to exercise, maintain a healthy diet and stop drinking and smoking.
People are also advised to reduce sitting time, getting up for at least three minutes every hour, to use household chores to be active, and aim for a daily goal such as 30 minutes of activity.
Online classes, strolls in the park and dancing to music could also help, the WHO said.
It said older people in general are at “significant risk of disease”, but those who have aged healthily are less at risk, highlighting how some centenarians have recovered from Covid-19.
It also warned that young people are not “invincible” from the disease.
Hans Henri Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said the continent, along with the US, is at the epicentre of the pandemic.
In the last week, laboratoryconfirmed cases of the disease have doubled, with 464,000 in Europe and 30,000 recorded deaths.
Dr Kluge said: “It is becoming clear that the healthier you were before the pandemic plays a crucial role. People who age healthily are less at risk.
“For those in self quarantine or working from home, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition, physical activity and staying away from tobacco and alcohol.”