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Written By: Sponsored | Updated : August 11, 2022 10:57 AM IST
1When a person has more than one disease or illness at the same time, it is called comorbidity eg: diabetes with high blood pressure. With age, the body is more likely to develop multiple health issues. Thus, comorbidities are more common among the elderly population.
According to the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) released by the Union Ministry of Family and Health Welfare, about 23% of the people aged 60 and above have comorbidities. The most common comorbidities among people aged 75 and above are a combination of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and dementia.2
So, the question is - Can flu vaccination provide protection beyond flu to the elderly?
Based on a study3 conducted by MDPI, influenza vaccination was responsible for a decrease in mortality, even among the oldest people with comorbidities.
Older patients with several underlying comorbidities like severe cardiovascular diseases, lung disease, and diabetes have a significantly higher chance of being hospitalized3 due to influenza and are thus among the priority groups for influenza vaccination.
Influenza is among the leading causes of hospitalization and mortality in elderly patients.3 In the same study conducted by MDPI, it was shown that somewhere between 300,000 to 650,000 people across the world die from influenza every year and almost 90% of these deaths are of people who are over 60 years of age.3 Influenza vaccines have proved to be very effective in tackling this concern.
Influenza (flu) can be serious for everyone but for adults aged 65 years and older, the risk of flu-related complications and hospitalization is particularly high.6
Immune systems decline as adults age. Older adults are at higher risk of serious flu and flu-related complications, including pneumonia and hospitalization. 6
But there are also other risks that may not be as obvious flu increases the risk of heart attack by 3-5 times and stroke by 2-3 times in the first 2 weeks of infection for those 65+. The risk remains elevated for several months. This all adds up to a six-times higher risk of dying from flu and related complications if you are age 65 years or older.6
Not only do influenza vaccines reduce infection-related mortality and morbidity in patients, but they also prevent decompensation because of underlying diseases, especially respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Influenza vaccines have directly resulted in a reduction in hospital admissions.3
4Influenza vaccines do not offer protection against Covid nor do Covid Vaccines offer protection against influenza. The WHO thus recommends administering the COVID booster shot and the yearly influenza vaccine for better protection from COVID and various seasonal flu cases.
5Fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, and body aches are common symptoms in a person co-infected with the SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses.
5The co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses can progress to Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for elders with comorbidities like hypertension, obesity, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.
Patients with co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses were shown to have liver enzymes, reactive protein, elevated serum ferritin, D-dimer and lymphopenia. In most cases, elderly comorbid patients with these symptoms were required to be put under ventilator support5.
If you're looking to read more about influenza and its vaccination, you can visit Protection Beyond Flu. Ask a doctor by booking an appointment here.
Disclaimer
The information in this article is issued in public interest by Sanofi India with the intention to create general awareness around immunization. This information does not constitute any medical advice, opinion and/or recommendation/ promotion of Sanofi products. Please consult your doctor for details regarding immunization.
REFERENCES
3 . https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/3/356/pdf (downloadable PDF file)
4. Ref- Gomez G. et al. Science 2021; 372 (6546); 1043-1044; Baker RE et al. Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Dec 1;117(48):30547-30553. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2013182117
6. Influenza and Older Adults National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (nfid.org); https://www.nfid.org/infectious-diseases/influenza-and-older-adults/
Disclaimer : Above mentioned article is a featured content , This article does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of IDPL, and IDPL claims no responsibility whatsoever.
