Extend vaccination for elderly - report
Tuesday November 19th, 2013
Middle-aged and elderly people should be encouraged to undergo vaccination against a range of diseases, according to a report published today.
As
the number of vaccines was extended, people over the age of 50 would start
carrying their record of immunisation with their passports, researchers
suggest.
And adults would carry a vaccination record card throughout their life.
The British government already offers the flu vaccine to pensioners and has just introduced a shingles vaccine.
The new report says these vaccines should be offered to people over the age of 50 - and this could be done by issuing vaccine vouchers.
People would also be encouraged to get vaccination against pneumonia and pneumococcal disease, researchers say.
The report was being published by the International Longevity Centre – UK with backing from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
There was backing from senior health professionals.
The Royal College of Nursing chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: “Nurses are ideally placed to lead the move towards improved adult vaccination in the UK, and checking that patients are up to date with their vaccinations should be part of all routine health check ups."
Professor David Taylor, from the University College London school of pharmacy, said: "Extending access to vaccination amongst older people has a significant potential for improving public health in the UK and Europe more broadly.
"The International Longevity Centre’s new report highlights the fact that although the UK’s record is already relatively good we could do more to optimise immunisation rates throughout our life courses."
Centre chair Baroness Sally Greengross said: "We start from a very positive place. But now is not the time to get complacent. The growth of antibiotic resistance, the challenges of immunosenescence and the context of migration mean that we need to put greater focus on improving uptake of adult vaccinations in the UK."
Tags: Elderly Health | Flu & Viruses | Pharmaceuticals | UK News
Printer friendly page