Despite the drop in the number of diagnoses and deaths, Covid-19 still poses a serious risk for the elderly. Unlike the rest of the population, which already leads a practically normal life, the elderly, as they are more vulnerable to infections and have a lower immune response to vaccines, must maintain care to protect themselves from the coronavirus.
“We are in a much more favorable moment, compared to what we have experienced before, but we cannot forget that Sars-CoV-2 is the main respiratory disease virus and, when we have cases among the elderly, many evolve into serious conditions and deaths” , says infectologist David Urbaez, from Exame Medicina Diagnóstica.
This is because the human body undergoes a natural process called immunosenescence, which consists of the aging of the immune system. That is, the older a person is, the less agile is the response once morest infections, contributing to the worsening of diseases. For this reason, infectious diseases are, as a rule, more serious among people over 60 years of age.
Post-vaccination antibody production also tends to be lower in older people. A study by the University of Düsseldorf, Germany, done in 2021, showed that vaccinated over 80 years old have fewer antibodies compared to vaccinated 60 years old.
The infectologist explains that when we are faced with a new infectious agent, to which the body has no memory of response, the outcome of the disease is more serious, especially when it comes to a weaker immune system.
“Without any prior information, the immune system of the elderly is absolutely vulnerable to the pathogenic factors that the new infectious agent triggers”, he says.
emotional damage
In addition to all the physical health complications, Covid-19 also proved to be a threat to the emotional integrity of the elderly. Studies show that fear, grief, stigma and insecurity have affected many people’s mental health, increasing cases of anxiety and depression.
“In this type of scenario there is a greater threat to life, with consequences for the social interaction of a group that is already severely penalized by our cultural system”, comments the infectologist.
How to protect the elderly?
The main strategy to protect the elderly once morest Covid-19 remains to keep their vaccinations up to date. Urbaez highlights the importance of the government encouraging the entire population to be vaccinated for the construction of a collective barrier.
Elderly people with more compromised health should consider measures that allow them to socialize safely, such as the use of masks in closed spaces.
“Risk planning should be directly proportional to exposure to places with greater chances of transmission, such as closed spaces and crowds”, explains the expert.
Early diagnosis and the search for medical guidance are mandatory for people in this age group who have symptoms of Covid or suspect that they have had contact with someone infected. It is important to remember that antiviral drugs with proven efficacy have already been developed for the prophylactic treatment of the most vulnerable people.
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