The bottom line
COVID-19 can be a severe illness, especially in people over 60 years of age or those with chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular issues.
Impaired lung function from SARS-CoV-2 infection can negatively affect other organs like the heart, kidneys, and brain, with significant health impacts that may last after getting over the infection.
Experts say that being placed in a hospital’s intensive care unit can result in post-intensive care syndrome, which includes diminished physical abilities and cognitive impairment. Also, the coronavirus could infect a part of the brain involved in breathing and circulation with, so far, unknown consequences.