This information is for people aged 16 years and over who have a medical condition that increases the risk of severe breakthrough COVID-19 illness, and people aged 16 years and over who live with a disability with significant or complex health needs or multiple comorbidities.
Medical conditions that can increase the risk of severe breakthrough COVID-19 illness are detailed below with some examples. These examples are not exhaustive, and providers may include individuals with conditions similar to those listed below, based on clinical judgment.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Immunocompromised conditions | People with HIV |
|
Cancer |
Non-haematological cancer including those diagnosed within the past 5 years or on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted anti-cancer therapy (active treatment or recently completed) or with advanced disease regardless of treatment. Survivors of childhood cancer. |
|
Chronic inflammatory conditions requiring medical treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or immune-suppressive or immunomodulatory therapies. |
Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and similar who are being treated. |
|
Chronic lung disease |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease and severe asthma (defined as requiring frequent hospital visits or the use of multiple medications). |
|
Chronic liver disease |
Cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease. |
|
Severe chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or 5) |
|
|
Chronic neurological disease |
Stroke, neurodegenerative disease (eg, dementia, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease), myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, myopathies, paralytic syndromes, epilepsy. |
|
Diabetes mellitus requiring medication |
|
|
Chronic cardiac disease |
Ischaemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, congestive cardiac failure, cardiomyopathies, poorly controlled hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, complex congenital heart disease. |
|
People with disability with significant or complex health needs or multiple comorbidities which increase risk of poor outcome from COVID-19 |
Particularly those with trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) or complex multi-system disorders. |
|
Severe obesity with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 |
|
|
Severe underweight with BMI < 16.5 kg/m2 |
|