If you are turning 40 it is time to take yet another shot of vaccination, to immunise yourself against a number of life-threatening diseases like typhoid, meningitis, influenza (flu), hepatitis-B, chickenpox and pneumonia. While emphasising on having another round of vaccination after a certain age, experts said that as immunity reduces with age so does the effect of certain vaccines taken in childhood.
It is advisable to immunise yourself in middle age too. like children, who are vulnerable to certain diseases that need vaccine prevention, adults too face the same threat and require timely vaccination to reduce the risks of various deadly diseases. A recent worldwide study conducted by the World Health Organisation also revealed that the number of deaths in adults due to non-vaccination is alarmingly equal to the death of children.
Underlining the importance of compulsory vaccination for adults, head of respiratory medicines and critical care at Safdarjung Hospital, Dr JC Suri, said this will drastically reduce the disease burden in the society and bring down healthcare costs. “The two vaccines importantly advisable to individuals above the age of 40 are for influenza and pneumonia. Capital records several deaths every year due to flu infections. Vaccination for hepatitis-B and typhoid are second in the list. These diseases have a high risk on individuals suffering from diabetes, chronic heart diseases, lung and kidney. They also result in reducing morbidity,” Suri said.
People in their later years tend to get infected with diseases related to their vital organs due to a decreased resistance level.
Diabetes is one of the most common diseases found in adults. "To help this, it is important to recommend the vaccines of hepatitis-B, typhoid and flu to them. It is important to take the typhoid vaccine once in three years, vaccine for flu once a year, for pneumonia once in a life time and three shots of Hepatitis given on timely basis in a period of six months. It must be taken in account that some vaccines, hepatitis B and typhoid, need to be taken every 10 years. These are equally important for all age groups," said senior Physician at the Max Heathcare Dr Gita Prakash.
According to WHO report, vaccine-preventable diseases kill millions of childrens annually and the ratio is similar for adult deaths. It has also highlighted that hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. In India, the numbers are huge with only 48 per cent of 100 children getting vaccinated per year and a major population of adults dying due to typhoid, meningitis, influenza (flu), whooping cough, Hepetitis-B, chickenpox and measles. More than 1500 people died from an outbreak of 'brain fever' in 2005 in the country.
ENDS