I was looking at some statistics on this just recently. Now, I don’t have the numbers memorized, but it was like on the order of 80% of deaths due to COVID-19 are over the age of 65. And of those that died, INCLUDING those not over 65, over 80% were those with pre-existing medical conditions.
So, yes…you’re right in a sense.
I’m not saying all elderly are passing, as I’m amazed at the articles of the 100some year old people surviving the virus.
Right. A vast majority of those who are elderly are not dying from it. But a vast majority of those who are dying from it are elderly! 
But it’s still a really weird virus, because it DOES spare the young which is atypical, and the conditions that seem to pose a risk are also atypical. Like, hypertension and obesity. That’s just odd.
Which doesn’t have anything to do with its possible origins. Frankly I don’t think any of us are smart enough to engineer a virus with that set of characteristics. It’s just an observation of how strange this bug is. But, it’s novel, I suppose all novel viruses are strange to a certain extent.
It’s also odd asthma isn’t a high risk factor.
Exactly. It usually is, for a respiratory virus.
Well, it could be worse. It could be prions. You can’t even kill those, because they’re not alive.
I have been pondering this lately and thinking how much more horrific this would be if it were targeting kids. It is one (big) bright spot in this whole thing that kids are being spared (for the most part). This is not to downplay those who have gotten seriously ill, died, etc.
Prions are fascinating, in a completely terrifying way.
Okay - but doesn’t every illness target the weakened, elderly, and those with underlying conditions more than the strong, young, and healthy?
@kerrilux_625778 - I am not a conspiracy theorist by nature - but I’ve had enough ideas pop into my head that seem at least worth shaking out.
And we don’t truly have control groups to speak of to make enough comparisons on what worked in some settings vs. others.
My teens have decided anywhere that needs a mask isn’t worth going. They describe them as too hot - even the lightweight hospital ones I provided them. Voluntarily staying disconnected from the world isn’t going to be a healthy long-term solution. Thankfully, none of their friends’ parents have asked them to keep a mask on for the play dates we are voraciously enjoying now that I’ve started asking for them. 
I just read something about polio and how it seemed to target children - even healthy children. I also think the Spanish Flu seemed to affect children more? And I know H1N1 was more dangerous for kids 5 and under.
Ok. So it is weird that it leaves kids out. And also that it doesn’t seem to target people with reactive airway.
But it is very normal to see the other groups heavily affected. I think of our annual flu season. Underlying conditions and advanced age are huge in making one susceptible.
Yes, I agree. although there are some seemingly very healthy people who have been very ill and even died that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect. Many of them are health care workers, however, so maybe that has more to do with viral load.
Yeah, so don’t eat brains!
Or contaminated cows. You know, whichever.
It is usual to see people with other illnesses affected, but it’s not the usual illnesses. Why should people with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease have such a higher risk? It’s a very strong correlation. Whereas, pulmonary disease is actually less highly correlated.
I suspect it has to do with the fact that it gains entry to the cell through the angiotensin converting enzyme receptor, which we know is active in vascular disease.
Usually, diabetes is linked to infection because of immunological reasons, but this time it may also include the fact that they have an increased risk of vascular disease.
And obesity is an independent risk factor, not related to diabetes. I suspect that also has to do with the hypertension angle, too.
I may have a crappy immune system, but I do take comfort in my 102/60 BP. 
hah! And wild animal meat from game farms. When we first moved back home, there were some elk farms that had prion disease and the state ultimately shut down all game farms, but they may exist elsewhere. So always ask where that fancy stuff on the menu at the Old Faithful Inn came from!
They can’t put any animals on those farms, the prions just lie there in the dirt, waiting.
I say nuke it from orbit, it’s the only way to be sure.
It is the bane of my existence that as soon as I passed a certain life event, my blood pressure increased. I am otherwise very healthy and do all the things I’m supposed to and don’t do the things I’m not supposed to, but I still have to take meds for it. I feel like my 50 year warranty expired right around the time I hit 51. On the flip side my cholesterol is amazing! Someone once told me my arteries must be pristine because my HDL (that’s the good one right?) was so high!
They’re like aliens, I swear!
Thank you for this - I am sharing with my school board!
My understanding is yours, that the Spanish flu was exactly the opposite of COVID-19, it used healthy immune systems to attack the body. So children and the well-fed and healthy. Also, the Spanish flu was horrible for pregnant women because of the immune response, but COVID only seems to have a few very strange effects. (This said, I do agree with @qwerty6 's point about how most illnesses behave.)