Age is a major risk factor in determining the severity and progression of COVID-19. It may even be the most significant factor for disease severity based on data collected from multiple countries. In China, data showed that the case fatality ratio (CFR) of COVID-19 increases as one gets older. The CFR for people in their 40s or younger was 0.4% and for those in their 80s and older the value increased to 14.8%. Italy had the same values for CFR for those in their 40s or younger and a value of 20.2% for people in their 80s and up. In the U.S. the first death from COVID-19 reported was of an 82 year old individual and a similar trend in increasing morbidity has been seen with older age. In addition, of 5700 hospital admissions for COVID-19 in New York City, deaths were 3.3% lower in patients in their 40s and younger while 25.9% of deaths were of people in their 80s and older. In the U.S. there were also significantly higher rates of ICU admissions and hospitalization for people over the age of 65 in comparison to younger groups. Furthermore, 40% of COVID deaths in the U.S. were among the population of elderly residents of nursing homes.