Elderly citizens 60 and above must complete their COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible and get booster shots to improve protection against serious complications from COVID six months after completing their primary vaccines, according to provincial CDC experts, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
According to experts from the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), older adults over 60 with COVID infections represent a relatively high percentage in terms of hospitalization and emergency treatment. This group also tends to stay longer in hospital and faces higher risk of death.
Li Lian, a doctor from Shenzhen Bao’an Maternal and Child Health Hospital, said that elderly people often go to supermarkets, parks and places where there are more people and thus face a high infection risk.
As older adults have weaker immunity, they would be at high risk of severe disease and death due to COVID infections if they have underlying medical conditions. Vaccination can effectively reduce the risk of severe disease and death among the elderly, Li said.
There is no upper age limit for COVID vaccinations, according to provincial CDC experts. The elderly needs more protection as they have more underlying medical conditions. Many centenarians in Guangdong have received their COVID vaccine doses.
According to Li, some elderly people may have concerns about vaccination. In fact, elderly people with chronic diseases, who are in stable condition and are taking medicine according to instructions, can be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines.
Senior citizens can go to the vaccination sites for professional evaluation, and not miss the opportunity to get vaccinated, Li said, adding that if citizens are not allergic to other vaccines, then there are almost no COVID-19 vaccine contraindications for them.
“Our vaccination site has given COVID vaccines to patients with myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, paralysis and cancer, and they have no adverse reactions,” Li said.