Oct

18

A Shot in the Arm for Flu Season!

Posted by maureen

October 18, 2007 |

It’s flu season again and I’ll be in line to get my shot along with thousands of fellow baby boomers. Unfortunately, over 60,000 elderly Americans will die from flue or pneumonia during flu season.

The truth is that even with this added protection and no matter how healthy you are an aging immune system makes you far more susceptible to not only seasonal flu and pneumonia but also meningitis, staph infections hepatitis and respiratory viruses.syringe_02.jpg

Vaccines don’t work as well as you age because your body’s defenses are being gradually worn out by the process of living. Flu vaccine is about half as effective in people over 60 as they are in young adults and children.

However, it seems as if the aging population is at last galvanizing some of the big Pharmaceutical companies into pursing adult vaccines. An area that has previously been ignored now has the numbers to make this a lucrative market and that has persuaded companies like Merck, GlaxoSmithKline and Wyeth to develop vaccines for the elderly. There are more effective shots for flu and pneumonia being developed along with more than 30 other vaccines. Glaxo has announced that after 15 years of developing it has come up with a material that can boost vaccines potency.

So are the current flu shots worth having? Yes, according to a study completed by doctors at Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Center in conjunction with several HMO’s. They followed thousands of people 65 or older through 10 consecutive flu seasons and concluded that the risk of death dropped 48%. Vaccination was also linked to a 27% reduction in risk of hospitalization for influenza and pneumonia.

So the message is loud and clear; roll up your sleeves!


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