COVID-19 is considered rampant in Alabama. Alabama’s healthcare community is urging everyone to get a flu shot since the symptoms of COVID-19 are like the standard flu. That warning includes adults 65 and older. Adults in that age range need to take precautionary measures because they have higher risk for COVID-19.
Sue Peschin is President and CEO for the Alliance for Aging Research. She said a large percentage of older adults have died from COVID due to the risk.
“Older adults have been the most hit by COVID-19. It’s all over the news, they make up about 80 percent unfortunately of all the deaths from COVID-19 so they’re at particular risk,” she said.
Peschin said getting vaccinated for both the flu and pneumonia may help prevent death from COVID. Both vaccines help boost older adults’ immune systems which help the body fight viruses. She said the organization started a campaign called ‘Our Best Shot’ to help raise vaccination rates again.
“The vaccination rate in older adults ages sixty-five and older dropped by 83 percent compared to last year. So that’s why we started this ‘Our Best Shot’ campaign because we really want to turn that around,” she said.
Peschin said flu and pneumonia vaccine shots help older adults deal with the symptoms caused by COVID-19. Peschin advised seniors to take an enhanced flu shot that is designed for the weaker immune systems in older adults.
