WHO updated treatment guidelines for COVID-19: risk group assessments have changed

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated the treatment guidelines for COVID-19 to include revised recommendations for patients with non-severe COVID-19.

According to a WHO release, the guidelines include updated risk indicators for hospitalization of patients with non-serious COVID-19.

"Modern variants of COVID-19 virus tend to cause less severe disease and immunity levels are higher due to vaccination, resulting in a reduced risk of severe disease and death for most patients," the report said.

This update includes new baseline estimates of the risk of hospitalization for patients with nonsevere COVID-19. The new "moderate risk" category now includes people previously considered high-risk, including older adults and/or people with chronic illness, disability, and co-morbid chronic conditions.

According to the updated guidance, the high-risk group includes immunosuppressed individuals, as they remain at increased risk for COVID-19 infection, with an estimated hospitalization rate of 6%.

In the moderate risk group, individuals over 65 years of age who are obese, diabetic, and/or have chronic diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney and liver disease, cancer, people with disabilities, and those with comorbid chronic diseases are at moderate risk, with an estimated hospitalization rate of 3%.

In the low-risk category, individuals "who are not in the high or moderate risk categories have a low risk of hospitalization (0.5%)."  Most people are in the low-risk category.

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