Promotion of a Lifelong Immunization Program for Healthy Ageing

Abstract

Ageing, frailty, and comorbidity increase the susceptibility to infections and enhance the consequences (morbidity, mortality, and costs) of these infections. Tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and herpes zoster are vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) frequently occurring in the older population. Immunity against these infections needs to be acquired early in life and tends to wane at higher ages (immunosenescence). During life vaccines can offer protection against VPD directly to the vaccinated person but also indirectly to non-vaccinated persons by herd protection. Vaccine formulations and strategies need to be adapted to yield a long-lasting protection against VPD. Integration of vaccines in a lifelong vaccination program offers the best possibility to obtain this goal. Yet, vaccination uptake in the (older) adult population is inconsistent or low. Vaccination implementation is complex and needs coordination between vaccine recipients, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare systems to improve vaccination coverage.