COVID XBB1.16: Centre lists obesity and 7 other high risk factors for COVID severity; know more

A new advisory has been released by the government for managing COVID crisis. "COVID-19 National Task Force under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare releases revised clinical guidance for the management of adult COVID-19 patients," news agency ANI tweeted on Sunday.


COVID cases are rising in the country. A total of 918 new cases of COVID were recorded in the last 24 hours.


Amid the increasing threat, a new variant has come to the notice of COVID trackers. The XBB1.16, a variant of the recombinant XBB variant of COVID's Omicron variant, is picking pace in the country. As per the latest data from INSACOG, the forum that studies and monitors COVID variants, the total number of XBB1.16 samples in the country is 76 right now.

In its guidelines, shared by the news agency, the government has listed 8 high risk factors that can lead to severe diseases or even mortality due to COVID.


Risk factor means posing high risk and increasing chances of developing serious health complications.


These factors increase the patient's susceptibility towards damaging issues when others recover from the infection quickly.

The list released by AIIMS/ ICMR COVID-19 National Task Force/ Joint Monitoring Group has stressed on 8 risk factors.


Old age or those aged above 60 years.


Those who have cardiovascular diseases and coronary artery disease.


Those with diabetes mellitus and other immunocompromised states like HIV


Those who are struggling with active tuberculosis.


Patients who have chronic lung, kidney or liver disease.


Those suffering from cerebrovascular disease.


Those who are obese.


And, those who are not vaccinated. In India three doses of COVID vaccine are administered; two of these are primary and the third one is a precautionary dose.

Obesity affects the immune system, lung function and increases the chances of hospitalization and ICU admission hence increasing the risk of mortality.


Obesity is also associated with several health complications like type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, and certain types of cancers which again makes it closer towards COVID complications.


"During the 2009 HIN1 pandemic, patients with severe obesity were more likely to require hospitalization, ICU admission, and death due to the disease. Data over the years have indicated that obesity negatively impacts host immune defense making it vulnerable to infectious disease," says a 2021 study titled 'Obesity and COVID-19: what makes obese host so vulnerable?' published in Immunity and Ageing.

"Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection, and systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," the guidelines read.


The government has urged people to not use medicines like: lopinavir-ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, neutralizing monoclonal antibody, convalescent plasma, molnupiravir, favipiravir, azithromycin, and doxycycline.

If you are experiencing upper respiratory tract symptoms and/ or fever without shortness of breath or hypoxia it is a mild disease which can be handled with home isolation.


Those who have a respiratory rate greater than 24/ min and the SPO2 is 90% to <93% on room air have moderate infection and need to be admitted in ward. These patients.


Those with respiratory rate more than 30 per minute need to be admitted in HDU or ICU.

Physical distancing and wearing masks remain the gold standard precautionary measures against COVID.


Avoid going to crowded places unless and until it is necessary. Do not touch your face without cleaning your hands. Sanitize your hands at regular intervals.


Avoid touching exposed surfaces as they are likely to be contaminated with germs.


Keep kids and older people at home away from those who are infected.

​H3N2 spurt: As cases rise, know who are in the high risk groups (and the symptoms seen during infection)​