Immunising the elderly is crucial in disease prevention, say experts

Vaccination is a crucial yet often overlooked health measure for the elderly in India. Despite the absence of a dedicated national immunisation schedule for vaccinations among the elderly in the country, doctors stress the need for proactive administration of vaccines to protect older adults from preventable diseases. In response, elder care also extends beyond vaccination to include physical activity, nutrition, mental health support, and chronic disease management, doctors said at the webinar “Prevention of Illness: Immunising the Elderly” organised by Naruvi Hospitals, Vellore in collaboration with The Hindu on Sunday, as part of the ‘Healthy India, Happy India’ webinar series. Dr. Thomas emphasised the importance of the pneumococcal, Hib, and hepatitis vaccines in elder care, and pointed out that 50% of severe pneumonia cases occur in the elderly, making vaccination a life-saving measure. Dr. Mathai also addressed vaccine hesitancy, citing a survey that found 60% of adults believed there were better ways to protect their health than vaccination, while 43% felt they were not at risk of falling ill. Soumendra Nath Haldar, Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Advanced Microbiology, School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata spoke on vaccines for food and waterborne diseases.