healthy lifestyle at any age

This is a very simple gesture, practically painless and capable of changing a person’s life at any age, even reducing the risk of death. But it is also a sign of responsibility and solidarity with others. We are talking about Vaccination is one of the greatest milestones in medicineas it has become the best tool for preventing some infectious diseases and, without a doubt, one of the public health measures that has saved the most lives in recent decades.

In the context World Immunization WeekThe data leaves no room for doubt, as an estimated four million deaths worldwide are prevented annually by childhood vaccinations, while 50 million deaths could be avoided through immunization between 2021 and 2030., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “Getting vaccinated is an act of responsibility for everyone, and also of solidarity with ourselves and with others, because we protect ourselves, but we also protect those around us,” he says. Angel GilProfessor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid.

Also in people over 80

Although immunization is a widespread intervention in the pediatric age group, where vaccination coverage rates in our country are fortunately very high, the truth is that vaccination is not just something for children. Quite the contrary, since, as Professor Gil explains, “life expectancy is becoming longer and longer Vaccination provides good health prevention for people over 80 years of age., who tend to be multipathological, have comorbidities, are frail, and receive multidrug treatment. In this case, receiving immunization against viruses such as influenza, Covid-19, herpes, pneumococcal pneumonia, measles or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) “This becomes an important shield for achieving a higher quality of life because vaccines prevent infections and, if infected, reduce serious complications, which can be very serious at this age.”

The reason is that, as the doctor explains Isabel Gimeno, head of the vaccine group of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), “chronic patients and elderly patients are more vulnerable to common infections because their immune system is more weakened, which can lead to mild infections ending in hospitalization,” in destabilizing others pathologies and, ultimately, in the deterioration of their health. Thus, Vaccination in adulthood is important for healthy aging” In fact, Dr. Jimeno recommends that all adults When you go to your GP, “ask about your vaccination status to see if you need any vaccinations.”

And if vaccination of the oldest members of the family is necessary to improve the quality of life, we should not forget about it at such crucial stages as pregnancy,” “because Pregnancy causes changes in a woman’s immune system that make her more vulnerable to infections. which may be common, such as influenza, covid, whooping cough or RSV,” the doctor warns. Carmen Pingarron, Head of the Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology Service at the Quironsalud San José Hospital in Madrid and Associate Professor of Medicine at the European University of Madrid. In fact, as the expert advises, “If pregnancy is planned, it is most advisable for the woman to become pregnant with all routine and recommended vaccines, as this will avoid problems in the future.

Double protection

In particular, vaccination of pregnant women is necessary for two reasons. “On the one hand, it serves to protect the pregnant woman from possible infections that could cause serious problems in the development of her child, as well as abortion or premature birth, depending on what trimester she is in; and on the other hand, it serves to actively protect newborns in the first months of life, when they are most vulnerable to infections,” warns Dr. Pingarron. Therefore, as the doctor emphasizes Maria Garcespediatrician at the Nazareth Medical Center (Valencia) and member of the Vaccine Advisory Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatricians (CAV-AEP), “It is important to be born protected and then to keep up with your childhood vaccination schedule because it is critical to protect children and the entire population from preventable diseases.”

Added to all these stunning benefits that are achieved in vaccinated people is one more thing: “Immunization is very useful in reducing microbial resistance, which will be the next pandemic to haunt us, since vaccination and accurate diagnosis of respiratory infections avoids the inappropriate use of antibiotics,” says Dr. Jimeno. For all these reasons, experts and scientific societies agree on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines at all stages of life to ensure the highest possible state of well-being.