Regular exercise appears to reduce severe, long-term COVID risks, study says

Those who keep active and work a basic amount of exercise into their daily routine face fewer COVID risks and symptoms than those who are generally more sedentary, according to a new study examining coronavirus hospitalizations and patients’ activity levels.

Researchers and physicians at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, the University of California, and San Diego looked at nearly 50,000 adults diagnosed with the fast-spreading illness and compared their exercise routines with how sick they became. They concluded those who achieved at least 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity — a goal target for adult Americans determined by U.S. Health and Human Services — were significantly less likely to land in the hospital and the intensive care unit.