Vaccination is a way to prevent infectious diseases, regardless of life stage
Barely two months ago, it was three years since the beginning of the declaration of public health emergency due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus. The same one that concentrated all the efforts in a massive vaccination to control it and that has ratified the fundamental value of the vaccines in all the countries of the world.
However, it is not the first time that vaccines are critical factors in curbing the impact of an infectious disease, or even eradicating it, as is the case with smallpox, the consequences of which suffered millions of people until the corresponding vaccine was developed. And it is that, since its development, vaccines are a key piece in Public Health policies and contribute to the increase in the life expectancy of the population worldwide, it is estimated that by 2025¹, the proportion of adults over 50 years of age will reach 50% of the total population of the European Union² – and in reducing the burden of disease and death of millions of people annually.
Therefore, more than an expense, Vaccines should be considered as an investmentgiven that they are one of the most effective tools of the health system, and not only in the prevention of infectious diseases and in the reduction of mortality, but also, due to their role in maintaining the quality of life, the reduction of visits medical, diagnostic tests and hospitalizations³.
Vaccines: essential at all stages of life
Since vaccines not only prevent diseases, but also protect against the complications and disability often associated with these diseases, one thing to keep in mind is that vaccination is necessary at all stages of life. Both in children, as in adolescents or even in people who have already reached maturity, in people who have a disease or are completely healthy. Without immunization throughout life, infectious diseases such as covid19 itself, seasonal influenza, herpes zoster or pneumococcal disease would continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality, especially in adulthood⁴.
The progressive increase in longevity of the population means that vaccination programs aimed at adults are now more important than ever. In fact, in the Lifetime Vaccination Calendar approved by the Public Health Commission of the SNS Interterritorial Council, Vaccination is no longer exclusive for infants, children and adolescents and is consolidated in people over 65 years of age as a tool to counteract the vulnerability of their immune system⁵. This vulnerability is due to factors such as immunosenescence, which involves the gradual deterioration of the immune system caused by age. This process means that our defense system is less able to identify and control possible “threats”.
700,000 people each year die from infection with resistant microbes and it is expected that if no action is taken, by 2050 this could reach 10 million people⁸
‘Immunofitness’
Immunofitness is a lifestyle that is based on healthy habits that help the immune system to age healthily. And it is that to combat the external aggressions to which we are exposed throughout our lives it is necessary to carry out certain Healthy habits that reduce the effects of immunosenescence⁶.
GSK, a pharmaceutical company committed to caring for people’s health and aware of the impact of immunosenescence, launched the Immunofitness projectwhich aims to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy immune system. This lifestyle focuses on four pillars: healthy eating, active living, a healthy mind, and disease prevention through vaccination⁷.
Thus, on its website, https://inmunofitness. en/ brings together quality content with advice and recommendations through videos, articles, interviews and exercise tables, so that people aged 50 and over have at their disposal different advice on healthy habits to include in their day to day and combat the consequences of immunosenescence because, as they themselves affirm “health is also trained & rdquor;.
DATA
- 50% will be the proportion of adults aged 50 and over of the total population of the European Union by 2025 according to estimates.⁹
- 1/3 of people over the age of 16 live with a chronic disease or chronic health problem according to OECD data in 26 countries.¹⁰
- 0.5% was the percentage of funding that went to immunization programs from health budgets before COVID-19.¹¹
- 5-20% effective in improving immunization rates in adults and children through the use of reminders and repechages.
¹WHO. Vaccines and immunization. World situation
²Vaccines Europe. Prioritizing Adult Immunization Policy in Europe. 2022.
³Largeron, N et al. Role of vaccination in the sustainability of healthcare systems. Journal of Market Access & Health Policy 2015. ⁴Tate et al. The life course approach to vaccination: Harnessing the benefits of vaccination throughout life. Elsevier. 2019.
⁵Common Schedule of Vaccination throughout life. Recommended calendar year 2023. [Internet] Interterritorial Council National Health System [Acceso marzo 2023]. ⁶Crooke SN, Ovsyannikova IG, Poland GA, Kennedy RB. Immunosenescence and human vaccine immune responses. Immun Aging. 2019.
⁷ Immunofitness. [Internet]
⁸Vaccines Europe. Prioritizing Adult Immunization Policy in Europe. 2022 [Último acceso marzo 2023].
⁹-Méroc, E., Fröberg, J., Almasi, T. et al. European data sources for computing burden of (potential) vaccine-preventable diseases in aging adults. BMC Infect Dis21,345(2021)
¹⁰Health at a glance 2021. OECD indicators.
¹¹Vaccines Europe. Prioritizing Adult Immunization Policy in Europe. 2022