<s>[INST] What happens to people who get COVID-19? [/INST] As testing rates fall, it is more difficult to know how many people have COVID-19 and do not seek any treatment. At the start of the pandemic, 15% of people were thought to become seriously unwell and require hospital treatment and oxygen. More recent estimates suggest that hospitalization is required in around 3% of people with COVID-19. This is partly due to immunization, partly due to changes in the virus (especially the Omicron variants), and partly due to the availability of targeted medical treatments.

Most people make a full recovery without needing hospital treatment. For those with COVID-19 who are at high risk of severe illness (see question below), WHO has made recommendations on which drug treatments are effective in improving outcomes and preventing hospital admissions.

It is also important to be vigilant in recognizing people with severe disease and those needing hospital treatment so that they are treated early. The consequences of severe COVID-19 include death, respiratory failure, sepsis, thromboembolism (blood clots), and multiorgan failure, including injury of the heart, liver or kidneys.

In rare situations, children can develop a severe inflammatory syndrome a few weeks after infection.  Source: WHO. Link: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-masks. Field: Infectious Disease. Disease: COVID </s>