How effective is the COVID vaccine for the elderly?

There’s still a lot of uncertainty about that first vaccine, but it’s certainly known. Although effective in protecting young adults, it is less effective in protecting the more vulnerable older people.

Vaccines are one of the great achievements of science. They saved hundreds of millions of lives and led to the eradication of one human illness (smallpox) and nearly another illness (polio). But there is no perfect vaccine. That is, no vaccine is 100% effective, 100% safe, and lasts a lifetime.

Fortunately, they don’t have to be perfect.

“Herd immunity” is reached when a sufficient number of populations are immune to the disease, unable to spread and disappear, either by recovery from the disease or by vaccination.Herd immunity against smallpox is about 80% immunity.. It is premature to confirm the herd immunity level of COVID-19, The initial estimate was about 70%..

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There are at least eight COVID-19 vaccines under development, including some new technologies, all of which rely on the same. That is, when the virus attacks, it stimulates the host’s immune system to activate it quickly and decisively. Older people generally have a weaker immune system, which leads to a weaker vaccine response.

There is a way to compensate from time to time.For example, two CDC recommended influenza vaccine People over the age of 65 during this flu season either quadruple the dose of the vaccine or mix an immune booster (in this case shark liver oil) with the vaccine to increase the response.

How safe and effective is it?

An important question we want to answer about the COVID-19 vaccine — how safe is it? How effective is it? — Of course, it’s unknown at this time. Science is still in progress.

Safety issues are not trivial. The closest relative of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is SARS-CoV, which caused the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak, infecting 8,000 people and killing 800. The vaccine being developed for SARS has never been tested in humans due to the death of the disease, but some of these have been tested in animals. Caused a worse illness.. Therefore, safety test shortcuts are unwise.

How effective is it? Again, I don’t know, but you can guess using what is known about the flu vaccine.

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In the five years from 2011 to 2016, The average efficacy of the flu vaccine was 38%, This means that 38% of vaccinated people have never experienced the symptoms of the flu. It doesn’t sound like a great vaccine, but it also reduces the severity of the symptoms in people with the flu. So over the last five years, the vaccine has prevented 6.7 million illnesses, 3.1 million doctor visits, 87,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths.

How about among the elderly? Many studies conclude that flu vaccines can prevent illness or reduce symptoms that are so severe that they require medical attention by about 60%.Since then Current FDA guidelines for approving COVID-19 The vaccine should be at least 50% effective. Approved vaccines have a significant impact on illness, hospitalization and death, not to mention transmission of the disease. You can expect the effect to be quite high.

Get the COVID-19 vaccine

One thing to note is that if the first COVID-19 vaccine is 50% effective (the subsequent vaccine is definitely better), then the current vaccine is Percentage of Americans with COVID-19 antibodyThat is, 9% of people have been infected before, and even if everyone is vaccinated, it does not reach the estimated herd immunity of 70%.

And, as we know, unfortunately not everyone is vaccinated. Even after the vaccine is available, the mask and social distance may be with us for some time.

What can older people do to stay as safe as possible?

First, get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. The pharmaceutical industry attaches great importance to safety in vaccine testing.

Second, vaccination does not necessarily give up wearing a mask in public and maintaining social distance unless you also have an antibody test to confirm that you are protected by the vaccine. Please.

Third, practice the best health habits.

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And finally, as we grow older, we support the study of ways to reduce and delay the weakening of the immune system and all body systems. We are making great strides towards that goal. Let’s keep it going.

To learn more about the elderly’s response to the vaccine, AFAR and Next Avenue invite you to a free expert-led webinar on Wednesday, October 28, at 1:00 pm ET: “I on Aging Biology and Vaccines. Preparation of our bodies “. Dr. Austad will host a discussion with UConn Health immunobiologist Jenna Bartley and Dr. Janko Nikolich of the University of Arizona.Details and attendance confirmation here.

Steven N. Austad, Ph.D. Is American Federation of Aging Research, National Institute on Aging Nathan Shock Center of Excellence Coordinating Center, And prominent professors and department chairs Faculty of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham.. He is the author of over 190 scientific papers and newspaper columns on over 100 sciences. Follow him on Twitter @ StevenAustad.@AFARorg

This article has been reprinted with permission from NextAvenue.org, © 2020 Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. all rights reserved. This is part of an editorial partnership between Next Avenue and Next Avenue. American Federation of Aging Research..

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