COVID-19 Risks and Vaccine Information for Elders

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life and business operations worldwide. Supply chains broke down, and many companies closed temporarily or permanently.

Vaccination campaigns have reduced some risks, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, but new variants continue to emerge as a threat.

Dry cough, fever, fatigue, and runny nose are common mild symptoms of COVID-19, though not all older adults develop them. If an older adult has these symptoms, they should get tested right away—these signs can indicate COVID-19 or a common cold, and the difference matters because COVID-19 poses real health risks for older people.

Other symptoms include aches, sore throat, nasal congestion, and diarrhea. Younger people infected with COVID-19 may have no symptoms at all, but older adults often experience severe complications like difficulty breathing or asthma attacks.

Skipping recommended treatment can force older adults onto ventilators or lead to death. Refusing to isolate spreads the virus to others. This is why older people face higher risks from COVID-19 and its variants. This article covers what you need to know about COVID-19 risks and vaccines.

• COVID-19 and older adults: facts and figures
• Why older adults face greater risk
• COVID-19 vaccination for older adults
• Final words

COVID-19 and older adults – facts and figures

Older adults with pre-existing conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or cancer face higher risk from COVID-19. The disease can worsen their physical and mental health because their immune systems are already compromised.

According to the CDC, older adults are more susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19. Those with weakened immune systems often need significant hospital care—emergency room visits, intensive care, or ventilator support.

COVID-19 carries a significant risk of death. People over 50 are more vulnerable to the virus and its complications. A BMJ study found that one-third of older adults infected with COVID-19 develop multiple conditions requiring serious medical attention.

Some of these conditions appear months after the initial infection. Older adults with COVID-19 experience worse complications and higher death rates than children under nine. Death rates rise sharply with age:

• People under 50: 0.2% to 0.4%
• People aged 50 to 59: 1.3%
• People aged 60 to 69: 3.6%
• People aged 70 to 79: 8%
• People over 80: 14.8%

Why older adults face greater risk

Chronic conditions are the primary reason for higher death rates in older adults. As people age, their immune systems weaken, muscles and bones don't function as well, and metabolic systems become less stable. A weakened immune system makes infection, including COVID-19, more likely.

When the immune system fights an external pathogen, it sometimes overreacts—a response called a cytokine storm. According to RACGP, this happens when the immune system produces excessive cells to fight infection, leading to severe inflammation that can damage organs.

This organ damage can be fatal. Cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart disease also raise the risk of severe illness and death after COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 doesn't directly cause stroke or heart attack, but researchers note that older adults with underlying heart disease are more likely to experience severe complications from the virus.

Diabetes worsens COVID-19 outcomes. Actor Tom Hanks contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic; he has diabetes, which weakened his immune response.

High blood sugar levels in older adults with diabetes make it easier for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses to spread through the body.

Older adults with chronic lung disease like COPD or asthma face higher risk of severe COVID-19. Because the coronavirus attacks the lungs, people with these conditions often need emergency care or ventilator support.

COVID-19 vaccination for older adults

Vaccination reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection. Adults over 55 should be vaccinated. Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are effective at preventing hospitalizations, ventilator use, and death from COVID-19 and its variants.

You can get vaccinated at local health departments, doctor's offices, community vaccination centers, pharmacies, and federally qualified health centers.

Most locations accept both appointments and walk-ins. The U.S. government has made vaccines available to everyone, including older adults, at no cost.

Full vaccination requires the first dose, second dose, and booster shot. For Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, you need the booster at least two weeks after the first dose. If you received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can get a booster.

In March 2022, the FDA and CDC authorized a second booster shot for people with chronic health conditions. A second booster is recommended for:

• People age 50 or older who received Moderna or Pfizer at least four months ago
• People with a weakened immune system
• People who received Johnson & Johnson booster at least four months ago
  • In these cases, the second booster should be Pfizer or Moderna.
• People with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension

Final words

Older adults often develop acute and chronic health conditions as they age. COVID-19 can harm both physical and mental health. Follow CDC and FDA guidelines to prevent infection, and get vaccinated and boosted to strengthen your immune system against the virus.