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Between mid-October and the end of December, the national flu vaccination is provided free of charge to seniors over the age of 65. The flu can be fatal for the elderly with heart disease, diabetes, and underlying medical conditions, so annual vaccination is recommended.
This is also true for older Americans. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has emphasized that flu vaccines should be available by the end of October. In addition, he introduced necessary vaccines for older people in their 50s and older. Here is the list:
◇ Flu vaccine
In the United States, between 50 and 70 percent of flu-related hospitalizations each year are in the elderly. However, according to the AARP, only half of American adults aged 50-64 have received the flu vaccine. Of course, you can still get the flu if you get vaccinated, but it helps reduce the severity of the disease. Flu season usually starts in October and ends around March. As it takes around two weeks for the body to produce antibodies to fight the flu, it is recommended that you are vaccinated within October if possible. Experts advise that the high-dose version of the vaccine is effective for adults aged 65 and over who are at high risk of complications from flu infection. A study published in the Journal of Lancet Respiratory Medicine found that seniors aged 65 and over who received the high dose had a lower risk of hospitalization than those of the same age group who received the standard dose. The New England Journal of Medicine also reported that high-dose vaccines are more effective at preventing influenza in adults 65 and older than standard doses.
◇ COVID-19 vaccine
Seniors aged 50 and over who are at high risk of complications from coronavirus infection can benefit from updated boosters (Omicron) to avoid epidemic stress, even if they have been vaccinated before. According to 2022 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, unvaccinated people were five times more likely to die from COVID-19 than their vaccinated peers. In addition, unvaccinated adults aged 50 and over were 14 times more likely to die from a related disease than those who received the latest COVID-19 vaccine or booster. Experts recommend scheduling a COVID-19 booster shot at the same time as your flu shot after consulting your doctor if you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to a drug or vaccine in the past.
◇ Pneumococcal vaccine
Until the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, the incidence was so high that more people died each year from pneumococcal disease than from all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined. In particular, the elderly over 65 and young children show severe symptoms, and the death rate from this is the highest among the elderly. Experts estimate that PCV13 (one of the pneumococcal vaccines) prevented more than 30,000 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease and 3,000 deaths during the first three years of use. According to the AARP report, in 2020, approximately 65% of adults aged 65 and older received the pneumococcal vaccine. In addition, it is recommended that people who care for chronically ill people and the elderly in hospitals or nursing homes, even if they are healthy, get the relevant vaccine.
◇ Tdap vaccine or Td booster
Tdap vaccine stands for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, and Td stands for tetanus and diphtheria. If you’ve never heard of these vaccines or can’t remember getting them, you should consider getting them. For adults, Tdap or Td vaccination is recommended every 10 years. In particular, in the case of pertussis vaccination, parents and grandparents looking after children under 12 months of age should take a closer look. In addition, since pertussis cases are increasing in the United States, vaccination is required even for those over 65 years of age. If you have epilepsy or other neurological problems, severe swelling or pain after a previous vaccination, or Guillain-Barré syndrome, consult your doctor before being vaccinated.
◇ The shingles vaccine
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people over the age of 50 get the new shingles vaccine, even if they have previously had the shingles vaccine or had the disease. One in three people usually get shingles after the age of 50, and the risk increases with age. By the age of 85, at least 1 in 2 people will have had shingles at least once. Shingles is caused by a virus such as chicken pox. The virus lies dormant for decades in a person who has had chicken pox, then reappears when the immune system is weakened by stress, drugs or disease. When infected, the fire causes painful blisters with a rash. About 15% of patients develop shingles or severe neuralgia that lasts months or years. If the condition is uncertain and concerning, the CDC says it is safe to vaccinate again. According to data collected by the AARP, in 2020, 16% of adults aged 50 to 64 received the shingles vaccine. It is important to get this vaccine if you are older, whether or not you had chicken pox as a child.
◇ Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccines
In the case of hepatitis A and hepatitis B, which are liver diseases, vaccination is recommended for those over 50 who are at high risk. Since the first hepatitis A vaccine was introduced in 1995, the number of hepatitis A cases in the United States has decreased by more than 95%. In the case of hepatitis A, there are no obvious signs even if you get the disease, but symptoms can appear as you get older. Hepatitis B is transmitted when bodily fluids (blood, semen, and saliva) from a person infected with the hepatitis B virus enter the body of an uninfected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 2,900 new cases of hepatitis B in 2016. There is also a combined vaccine against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, in which case three doses are required over 6 months.
