The coronavirus doesn’t discriminate and can infect anyone of any age.

If older adults aged 60 and upwards contract Coronavirus, they are more likely to get seriously ill. The reason adults aged 60 and over are more susceptible to the virus is our immune systems weakens with age.

Another group are who need to take more care are people who have serious chronic medical conditions like:

Heart disease, Diabetes and Lung disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

Preventative Guidelines from The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

1. Wash your hands

The best way to protect yourself and others is to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.

If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.

2. Avoid close contact

If Covid-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people – especially those who are more vulnerable.

Stay at home as much as possible and consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family or members of the community.

3. Try not to touch your face

According to a 2015 study in the American Journal of Infection Control, people touch their faces more than 20 times an hour on average.

However, you’ll need to try your best not to do this if you want to protect yourself from coronavirus.

4. Cover coughs and sneezes

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

Throw used tissues in the bin straight away.

It’s hard to know when someone is going to cough or sneeze, but if you can, try and avoid standing within two metres of them.

Droplets from a cough or sneeze can travel up to approximately 7ft (2.1m) when expelled through the air.

5. Disinfect surfaces

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. Use a disinfectant spray, sprayed from about six to eight inches.

This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, counter tops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

The longer you leave the product in place, the better the chance of killing the virus. Leave it on for at least ten seconds, but as much as four minutes if possible.

Then use a clean or ideally disposable cloth to wipe it off, wiping in one direction only.

6. Avoid crowds

The World Health Organisation have urged people – particularly those over the age of 60 – to avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.

This is because risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like Covid-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.

WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted: “If you are 60+, or have an underlying condition like cardiovascular disease, a respiratory condition or diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing severe #COVID19.

“Try to avoid crowded areas, or places where you might interact with people who are sick.”

7. Have a plan in place

Have a plan for if you get sick and consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of Covid-19.

Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbours, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.

Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick.