"Senior Health Promotion Week" | Expert advice: Elderly people should actively and reasonably get vaccinated

Population aging has become an important trend in social development. Health is the basis for ensuring the independence and social participation of the elderly. Promoting aging health is a long-term strategy to actively respond to population aging.

July 24-30 is the National Senior Health Promotion Week. On July 19, a media salon with the theme of "Improving prevention awareness and promoting senior health" was held in Xiamen. Xun Shanying, director of the general medicine committee of the Fujian Straits Medical and Health Exchange Association and chairman of the Medical and Prevention Integration Committee of the Xiamen Primary Health Association, gave a popular science lecture on disease prevention and vaccine knowledge for the elderly.

The "Initiative on Health Protection for the Elderly in my country" published in the "Chinese Medical Journal" in 2022 mentioned that the elderly should enhance their awareness of vaccination to prevent diseases and actively receive influenza, pneumococcal and shingles vaccines.

Director Xun Shanying said that "the best way to treat a disease is to prevent it before it occurs". Vaccination is the most effective, economical and convenient measure to prevent infectious diseases. Especially for the elderly, as they age, their immunity declines and they are more susceptible to diseases. How to "prevent disease before it occurs" is particularly important.

During the event, Director Xun Shanying emphasized: "Herpes zoster is one of the most common infectious diseases among middle-aged and elderly people. The biggest feature of this disease is the discomfort it brings to elderly friends, especially pain, which is a burst of excruciating pain. In addition, if herpes zoster causes complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia, psychological disorders, and concurrent bacterial infections, it can induce keratitis and corneal ulcers in the eyes, leading to blindness, which will bring great burdens to the elderly and their families."

In addition, many people think that after having shingles once, they will never get it again. In this regard, Director Xun Shanying reminded: "The human body cannot completely eliminate the varicella-zoster virus. When your body's resistance is poor, the virus can come back. Therefore, for the elderly, as they age, their immune function declines, and the probability of contracting infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, and shingles will increase accordingly. Active vaccination is one of the important ways to ensure the healthy quality of life of the elderly."

Some elderly people are worried that they have chronic underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Can they get vaccinated?

Director Xun Shanying said: "For people with chronic underlying diseases, their immunity is weaker than that of healthy people, so when they encounter infectious diseases, they are more likely to develop other complications. Therefore, it is recommended that such people get vaccinated in a timely manner when their health is stable and their medication is well controlled. When choosing a vaccine, it is recommended that you consider three aspects: the first is age, the second is protective efficacy, and the third is whether you can get the vaccine and what the contraindications are. Different vaccines have different protective effects, so please consult a doctor or professional for details."

In addition, Director Xun Shanying particularly emphasized that for people with immune deficiencies and immunosuppressants such as tumors, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, it is recommended to consult a doctor before considering the type of vaccination.