It’s no secret that modern medicine is amazing. From developing a life-saving coronavirus vaccine in less than a year to performing robotic surgeries for precise accuracy, as well as genetic testing that reveals sicknesses we may develop, we are living in a genuinely miraculous time when it comes to healthcare and medicine.

The Importance of Genetic Testing and COVID-19

Genetic testing is proving to be even more crucial as we continue through this pandemic. COVID-19 is known to be more severe and negatively impact those with underlying health conditions even if they are fully vaccinated. Politician Colin Powell recently died of coronavirus complications because of a years-long battle with blood cancer, making him more susceptible to the virus even as a fully vaccinated individual. COVID is not going anywhere anytime soon. Those at risk of developing underlying health conditions—or those who live with underlying health conditions every day—must be aware of virus spread and mitigation measures for health prevention.

Underlying Conditions

The first step of this is knowing if you have or may develop an underlying health condition—genetic testing and knowing your family genes can help determine the underlying conditions you are at risk of developing or already have. Many people living with underlying health conditions are unaware of their malady. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underlying conditions such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver or lung diseases, heart conditions, HIV, diabetes, and weakened immune systems can put you at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. Severe COVID-19 can result in hospitalization, dying, or experiencing long-term side effects from COVID-19 such as needing a ventilator to help you breathe, dealing with frequent shortness of breath, suffering from a chronic cough, or developing certain heart problems.

Know Your Risk

For people with underlying health conditions, staying healthy during this pandemic means much more than getting vaccinated. It also means knowing your risk level as determined by genetics, which can be detected using innovative health measures like genetic testing. Unfortunately, many people living with underlying health conditions don’t know it, which makes them even more susceptible to severe COVID. Knowing your risk is crucial to maintaining a healthy you, looking out for your future health, and helping to keep future generations healthy, too.