2023-10-02 14:02:22
With increasing age, the risk of infectious diseases also increases. That’s why it’s recommended for everyone over 60 to take a look at the vaccination book again. The most important vaccinations at a glance.
It’s a completely natural process: with age, the immune system weakens. It is then no longer as fit when it comes to fighting off viruses and bacteria. The risk of serious or even fatal illnesses increases.
This risk can be reduced for various infectious diseases – each with a spade.
The following applies: “Despite vaccinations, infections cannot be completely avoided,” as Anja Kwetkat, chief physician at the Clinic for Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Osnabrück Clinic, says. But with sufficient vaccination protection, an infection is less severe.
Which vaccinations should I have or have refreshed? You can explore these questions together with your family doctor, also with a view to existing medical conditions. These are seven important vaccinations for people aged 60 and over:
1. Influence (Grippe)
People aged 60 and over should get a flu vaccination once a year. This is what the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommends. The vaccination not only reduces the risk of a serious course of the disease, but also of complications that can accompany flu in older people. These include heart attack, stroke or pneumonia.
“The best time for a flu vaccination is October or November,” advises pharmacist Hannes Müller from Haltern am See. This means that older people are optimally protected when the flu epidemic sets in – usually at the turn of the year.
Anyone 60 years of age and older should make sure to be vaccinated with the more powerful high-dose influenza vaccine. “It works better on seniors than the usual quadruple vaccines,” says Kwetkat, who is head of the vaccination working group of the German Society for Geriatrics.
2. Pneumococcus
In many cases, pneumococci are responsible for pneumonia. The bacteria can also cause inflammation of the nasal sinuses, the middle ear or the meninges. Or sepsis, colloquially known as blood poisoning. In the worst case scenario, a pneumococcal infection can be fatal.
Protection gives spades. Stiko recommends vaccination against pneumococci for all people over 60. Especially for those with underlying illnesses – they have a four to five times higher risk of developing the disease than others.
To reduce the risk of such an infection, older people should receive at least one pneumococcal vaccination. After six years, it can be refreshed if the doctor judges this to be useful.
3. Shingles
Anyone who had chickenpox as a child is at risk. After the illness, the virus remains in the body for life. It can cause shingles, also known as herpes zoster, at a later date – especially after the age of 60.
A disease that should not be taken lightly. With shingles, blisters form on the skin, for example around the torso and chest, which are accompanied by burning pain. The possible result is nerve pain that can last for several years.
In order to prevent this disease as much as possible, Stiko recommends immunization for everyone over 60. “In order to achieve complete vaccination protection, two vaccinations two to six months apart are necessary,” says Anja Kwetkat.
4. Covid-19
In addition to the basic immunization, Stiko advises people aged 60 and over to have an annual booster vaccination. It should take place at least twelve months after the last vaccination or infection. Now in autumn is the best time for this, because older people are protected as best as possible if the number of infections increases again in the winter.
Both the Covid-19 and the flu vaccination can be given in general practitioners’ practices, but also in pharmacies. “It is possible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and against flu at the same time,” says Müller. One spade goes into the right arm and the other into the left arm.
5. Tetanus
Tetanus is a disease caused by bacteria. It is always caused by an injury, such as splinters of wood. Those affected suffer from muscle cramps – in older people they can be particularly severe.
To prevent this, Stiko also recommends people over 60 get a tetanus vaccination. Ideally, the basic immunization should take place in infancy. If you didn’t get it as a child, you should get it as an adult. A tetanus booster vaccination is required every ten years.
6. Diphtheria
Also recommended for older people: a diphtheria vaccination. There are two forms of diphtheria: Symptoms such as swelling of the cervical lymph nodes and paralysis in the thumb are respiratory diphtheria. In skin or wound diphtheria, greasy deposits appear on small wounds.
After a basic immunization, a diphtheria booster vaccination should be given every ten years. “A diphtheria vaccination is done in combination with a tetanus vaccination,” says Anja Kwetkat.
7. TBE
TBE – the four letters stand for tick-borne encephalitis. This is an infectious disease that is transmitted through tick bites. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms in the first phase and paralysis or even meningitis in the second phase.
Stiko only recommends TBE vaccination for people aged 60 and over if they live in a risk area or plan to travel to such an area. The basic immunization is only complete with three vaccinations. Booster vaccinations should be given every one to two years.
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