As the new coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, some areas of the country are at or near the peak of new infections, according to many health experts. But wide areas of the country are predicted to see new infections continue to grow for quite some time, with a corresponding increase in hospitalizations, admission to hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and fatalities.

There’s strong evidence that people with diabetes are more likely to develop severe symptoms and complications of COVID-19 (the disease caused by the virus). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this higher risk applies to people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. That’s especially true if your blood glucose levels are frequently higher than levels in people without diabetes, or if you’ve developed certain diabetes-related health problems like heart disease or kidney disease.

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If you’re at higher risk for severe COVID-19, it’s especially important to protect yourself from exposure to the coronavirus, and to have critical supplies on hand in case you get sick and can’t leave your house for the duration. But it’s also important to know what to expect if you develop symptoms that are severe enough to require hospitalization and admission to the ICU.