Adult vaccination: Boosting immunity

The current pandemic is not new to the world. Historically, the world has successfully conquered over epidemic-prone diseases with the help of vaccination. Ironically, the value of vaccination has been understated despite its preventive eminence; hitherto disapproved and gained a slow acceptance from the society.

Covid-19 has yet again re-established the need and importance of vaccinations across the globe. While there are ongoing studies for the Covid-19 vaccine, we must not disregard the vaccines that have existed in before the Covid era and have saved countless lives every year, especially children--owing to their developing immune system. Having said that, vaccines are one of the most important health investments of any country and should not be limited to just children.

Adult vaccinations

Globalization and an increased need to travel (leisure and business) have exposed adults to amplified jeopardy of infectious diseases. Also, with fast-paced lifestyle and increasing co-morbidities like lung and heart diseases, adults are highly vulnerable to VPDs. Nonetheless, despite immense information available on VPD’s and vaccinations, most of the adults are either still unaware of the repercussions or do not believe in vaccination’s adeptness in helping the immune system thwart infections in adults.

Adults with co-morbidities, especially lung, kidney and liver diseases, must get seasonal influenza vaccination administered. The highly communicable respiratory disease affects not just children but millions of adults every year across the world. With Corporate India preparing for #Unlock2 to give a much-needed boost to the economy, various question regarding safety and precautions remain as people re-join work. Unlike Covid-19, we have vaccines available that can protect us from Influenza. Hence, we must protect ourselves from the known while stepping out amid the unknown. Apart from these, adults should also consider pneumococcal and Hepatitis-A vaccinations.

Besides, it has been proven in international studies that Covid-19 and Influenza can co-exist. If one is infected with both contagions at once, the risk of morbidity is excessively high. In the current scenario, understandably, Influenza and Covid are here to stay and it is urged to be protected against at least one. Having said that, Influenza vaccine should be mandated, especially for smokers and the ones affected with lung diseases.

Besides Influenza, the need for other adult vaccination also varies with age, health conditions, lifestyle choices and occupational exposure. For instance, every adult should get the Tetanus and Diphtheria (Tdap) booster shot every 10 years. In case a person had missed Tdap during adolescent vaccination, they should be vaccinated for pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine as well. Additionally, pregnant women should be administered with the Tdap vaccine each time they are pregnant, preferably at 27 through 36 weeks.

One of the main reasons for low penetration of adult vaccination is lack of awareness among individuals as well as the medical populous. As a result, there is no pre-designed way adults can get vaccinated regularly, nor it can be monitored.

Unquestionably, there is a dire need to sensitize the health planners as well as health care providers vis-à-vis adult vaccination. Neither a paediatrician nor a General Physician but only an internal medicine expert can help facilitate vaccinations in adults regularly, with increased awareness and accessibility.

While emphasizing on the importance of adult vaccination, our current front-line Covid warriors (Health Care Workers) are also at an equally increased risk of contracting VPDs. During this time, vaccination against Hepatitis-B becomes extremely crucial. Moreover, infected HCWs can directly transmit to the vulnerable population.

This is where the Government and Hospital management should intervene to setup strong guidelines. With such simple steps, adult vaccination - as a part of the routine immunization - can save millions of lives in India.

(The writer is an Infectious Diseases Specialist, Apollo hospitals)