Most people who are infected will probably experience mild, self-limiting respiratory symptoms. This also applies to people in risk groups. Some will experience a more severe disease, with conditions such as pneumonia and breathing difficulties.

Age seems to be the most prevalent factor linked to a risk of serious illness from covid-19. The risk increases with increasing age, particularly for people over the age of 65.

The increased risk is probably linked to age, underlying illness or a combination of these factors.

The risk is assumed to be limited for younger persons with underlying illnesses that are well managed.

Other underlying diseases that lead to impaired lung function and persons with impaired immunity caused by illness or medical treatment could lead to an increased risk of serious illness from covid-19.

Groups with an increased risk of serious illness from covid-19:

• Age over 65 years
• Cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure (hypertension)
• Diabetes

Groups that could have an increased risk of serious illness from covid-19*:

• Obesity
• Significantly impaired lung function
• Neurological or muscular diseases that lead to reduced coughing strength or reduced lung function
• Congenital immunodeficiency in an unstable phase that lead to a risk of serious respiratory infections
• Blood diseases that affect cells or organs that are important for the immune system
• Bone marrow transplantation or organ transplantation
• Immunosuppressant treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation as well as immunosuppressant treatment with autoimmune diseases
• HIV infection with low CD4 count
• Severely impaired kidney function
• Severe liver disease

* From other infectious diseases it is known that the risk of developing a severe progression increases with underlying diseases that lead to severely reduced cardiovascular/lung function or immunodeficiency. It cannot be ruled out that this also applies to covid-19.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health are updating the information on risk groups as more knowledge becomes available: Advice and information for risk groups and their relatives (fhi.no).

In Norway, many are now in the month of ramadan. Diabetes is one of the diseases that can lead to an increased risk of serious illness from covid-19 for adults. This is probably more valid if the diabetes is not well managed. Read more about ramadan and health for concrete advice.

Changing ongoing treatment and medication without consulting your doctor is not recommended. It is important that the underlying disease is well managed and treated. Maintain good habits by being active, keeping a normal daily rhythm, regular meals and with weekends that differ from weekdays.

If you have asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and are treated with inhaled corticosteroids, you should continue your scheduled treatment. Contact your doctor if you experience increased respiratory symptoms.

The European Society of Cardiology has stated that there is no clinical or scientific evidence to suggest that anti-hypertensive treatment should be adjusted due to the coronavirus outbreak (escardio.org).

There is no reason to discourage start up or to terminate ongoing immunosuppressive treatment. Should persons who are on immunosuppressive treatment become sick, they can contact their doctor for advice in relation to medication, take samples or tests and examination.

Children and youth seem to develop a mild illness. This also applies to children with chronic diseases. There is no indication so far of these children showing increased risk of developing serious illness from covid-19 compared to healthy children.

Based on the precautionary principle, some groups could however be more vulnerable and facilitated teaching during reopening of schools and kindergartens can be considered.

For more information about these groups and covid-19 in children and youth, visit:

• Norwegian Society of Pediatricians (Norsk barnelegeforening)(in Norwegian)
• Advice and information for children and adolescents (fhi.no)

• Stay at home as much as possible.
• Keep a physical distance to others both at work, outdoors and other places. Limit the number of persons you are in close contact with and who visit you. Going for a walk is nice in order to stay fit but choose places that are not congested.
• Avoid spending time with people who show signs of respiratory infection.
• Avoid public transport if you can
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and lukewarm water.
• If hand washing is unavailable, you can resort to hand disinfection products that contain alcohols.
• Avoid shaking hands as well as kissing and hugging people who are not part of your household or a regular partner.
• Clean the household frequently, pay particular attention to surfaces that are often touched.
• Should a person in the household feel unwell (particularly if a coronavirus infection is suspected), limit the time you spend together and contact your doctor if in need of medical attention. If possible, stay and sleep in separate rooms and use separate bathrooms. If this is not possible, it is important to keep a distance and use separate towels and toiletries in the bathroom.
• If you are over the age of 65, you are advised to keep distance from persons with whom you do not live, including children. This may also apply to those who are under 65 and have a chronic underlying illness.
  
• If you are under the age of 65 and healthy, you do not have the same risk and can be around others as long as you follow the general recommendations. New knowledge shows that children become ill less often and have milder symptoms. It is primarily people who have symptoms that are contagious.
  

The Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Ageing and Health (aldringoghelse.no) provide information and advice about the coronavirus related to the elderly and persons with dementia, both for the health service, the elderly themselves and their next of kin.

What precautions can you as part of a risk group take?

• Make sure your have your required medicines available. Keep taking your regular medication and make changes only in agreement with your doctor.
• If you have a forthcoming consultations or regular control you should keep the scheduled appointment unless informed otherwise by your treating institution. If in doubt, contact your doctor.
• Make appointments with someone who can assist you with necessary purchases. Consider asking them to deliver to your door.
• Check if your municipality has made any arrangements with volunteer organisations that can assist you when needed.
• Employers in risk groups should, in consultation with their employer, consider the possibility for workplace adaptions based on individual risk. Sick leave is not recommended unless adjustment is not possible.

Those who receive health and care services at home and their relatives/caregivers should follow the advice given to the general population and possibly the advice given to risk groups.

You can live as normal at home and give the care you usually do. Protective equipment for family and relatives in the home is not necessary. Wash hands frequently and carefully with soap and lukewarm water. Keep the house clean in the usual way. Pay extra attention to surfaces that are often touched.

Persons with respiratory symptoms should not visit. You should also avoid spending time with children, as they can transmit the virus onto you even if they are not ill and show no symptoms themselves.

Employees from the municipality's health and care services do not need protective equipment if there is no suspicion of infection, but they must follow strict rules on hand hygiene.

Should you develop respiratory symptoms and you contact your doctor, your doctor and possibly the home care service will plan further follow-up in consultation with you.

More information from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health: Health and care services at home and infection control for covid-19 (fhi.no – in norwegian).

Several user organisations are now expanding their staffing to be able to answer questions from the general population and from persons with chronic diseases:

• Frivillighetens koronalinje: 23 12 00 80 (9am -3pm daily). At the voluntary corona-line service you can ask general questions about corona and the measures initiated by the government to limit transmission. The telephones are operated by trained volunteers from the Norwegian National Health Association, The Norwegian Women's Public Health Association and The National Association for Heart and Lung Diseases.
• Do you have questions related to diabetes and corona? Call Diabeteslinjen at 815 21 948.
• Talk to The Norwegian Cancer Society about cancer and the coronavirus at 21 49 49 21 or by chat.
• Do you have a lung disease, and have questios about the coronavirus? Get advice from LHL (The National Association for Heart and Lung Diseases).
• If you have general questions, you can also call the Directorate of Health at telephone number 815 55 015

No, there are still restrictions on visits to hospitals, nursing homes or other health institutions. This is to safeguard infection control for the patients.

If you want to visit your relatives, contact the management of the institution.

The Norwegian Directorate of Health will prepare guidelines for visits to health and care institutions and the reopening of day care and activity services. The guidelines will accommodate for residents and patients to receive visitors and that day care and activity services are available, while at the same time meeting the requirements for infection control. The guidelines will be made available shortly.