Having sickle cell disease (SCD) increases your risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Having other hemoglobin disorders, like thalassemia, may increase your risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

• Ask your healthcare provider about telemedicine or remote healthcare visits, and know when to go to the emergency department.
• Work with your healthcare provider to manage medicines and therapies for your disorder (including hydroxyurea, chelation therapy, blood transfusions, and prescriptions for pain management) and any other health condition you may have (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis).
• If you don’t have a healthcare provider, contact your nearest community health center  or health department.
• Try to prevent vaso-occlusive episodes or pain crises by avoiding possible triggers.
• Review CDC’s healthy living with SCD guide or our healthy living with thalassemia guide for tips to help you stay healthy.
• Find SCD resources and thalassemia resources to help navigate care and increase knowledge and awareness of SCD and thalassemia.
• Let friends and family know about the need for healthy blood donors.