Why older Australians need to be vaccinated
Every day we hear about the importance of vaccines in babies and young children, but at the moment, older Australians are a huge cause for concern among medical professionals. Over a quarter of Australians between the ages of 65 and 69 are not receiving the required vaccinations for their age group, according to Sky News.
Shockingly, only 4 per cent of this group had received their shingles vaccine and just a third had been immunised against pneumonia, while around 70 per cent had gotten their flu jab.
“Ageing makes us vulnerable to infections,” says Immunisation Coalition Director Dr Paul Van Buynder. “When you skip vaccinations, you may leave yourself vulnerable to illnesses [...] so it is concerning to see such low rates of immunisation for these conditions among the over-60s.”
“Regardless of how healthy and fit you feel, if you are aged 60 and over, you are at increased risk of developing serious illnesses,” says Dr Van Buynder.
Research by the Lung Foundation Australia found that a quarter of seniors thought pneumonia was no worse than a bad cold. In fact, pneumonia accounts for over 2,800 deaths each year in this country, and simply getting your pneumonia jab could “add years to life,” according to Lung Foundation member Lucy Morgan.
In Australia, the flu and pneumonia vaccinations are free for those aged 65 and over, and between the ages of 70 and 79 so is the shingles jab. To find out more about the importance of getting regular vaccinations, click here.
What do you think can be done to encourage older Aussies to get their vaccinations? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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