Expert advises senior citizens on importance of vaccination

DR Charity Udoh, a public health expert, has advised elderly persons to get vaccinated against diseases so as to boost their immune system and reduce the dangers of health complications as they grapple with old age.

Udoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Abuja that vaccines could protect the elderly from “unnecessary” ailments like Hepatitis, diabetes and cancer usually associated with old age.

She said that vaccines had always reduced and eliminated many infectious diseases that could routinely kill elderly people.

“Vaccines help to lower the risk of contracting certain diseases; it serves as a natural defence to the bodies of both young and aged people.

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“Vaccines also help the elderly to safely develop immunity against certain ailments and diseases.

“Vaccines also lower their chances of getting certain diseases and suffering from their complications. For instance, the vaccine of Hepatitis B, lowers the risk of liver cancer, while HPV vaccine lowers the risk of cervical cancer.”

She said that flu vaccine lowers the risk of heart attacks and other flu-related complications from existing health conditions like diabetes and chronic lung diseases

Udoh said that the viruses and bacteria that cause deadly diseases were still alive in elderly people, warning that the elderly people could easily contact such diseases if they were not vaccinated.

“If they refused to get vaccinated, they will become seriously ill and get hospitalised because of a disease that vaccines could have prevented.

“Even if they received the vaccines that they needed while growing up as children, the protection from some vaccines can wear off.

“The elderly ones may also be at risk of other diseases due to their job, lifestyle, long-distance travelling or health conditions.”

On the side effects of vaccines on the elderly, Udoh said that such effects were “usually mild and go away in a few days.”

Udoh, however, said that the most common side effects included soreness, redness or swellings where the shot was given.

She said that severe side effects were rare adding that vaccines were “one of the safest ways to protect the health of an elderly person”.

The expert, however, advised elderly persons to discuss with their doctors to ascertain vaccines that would be safe for them, based on their health or other conditions.