Indonesia’s COVID-19 vaccination program has been rolled out in stages, and one priority group is the elderly. With increasing age, immune defenses and overall body function tend to decline. The elderly are more vulnerable to degenerative diseases and infections. When infection occurs, it is more likely to become severe than in younger adults. For this reason, the elderly need stronger protection, which vaccination can provide. Besides the COVID-19 vaccine, several other vaccines should be given to the elderly to help lower disease risk.

Recommended Vaccines for the Elderly

1. Flu vaccine

Influenza is often underestimated, but not for the elderly. A generally weakened immune system that elderly have compared to their younger days can make recovery slower than usual.

In people with diabetes, heart disease, or lung disease, untreated flu can lead to complications such as pneumonia. Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, typically caused by infection, and it can cause shortness of breath. To reduce flu severity, seniors are ideally vaccinated once a year.

2. Herpes zoster vaccine

Another recommended vaccine shot for elderly is the herpes zoster vaccine. This vaccine helps prevent the recurrence of shingles, an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. If someone had chickenpox in childhood, the virus can remain dormant in the body for years.

In elderly, along with the increasing age, immune function will weaken in later life. This causes the virus to reactivate more easily in the infected people. A common complication in the elderly is postherpetic neuralgia, a nerve fiber injury from herpes zoster. Typical symptoms include pain, itching, numbness, and heightened sensitivity to light touch.

3. Pneumococcal vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine helps prevent serious infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Beyond pneumonia prevention, this vaccine can also reduce the severity of meningitis and sepsis. Pneumococcal infections can inflame the membranes surrounding the brain and cause nerve injury. In severe cases, complications include deafness, brain damage, and even death.

4. COVID-19 vaccine

Given the high mortality in the elderly infected with COVID-19 virus, the vaccine for COVID-19 infection remains one of the key vaccines needed currently for the elderly. In Indonesia, multiple vaccine types have been authorized for use by the government, though only some have been widely distributed so far.

In addition to the three vaccines above, the elderly may also receive shots tailored to their needs, such as the hepatitis vaccine, the meningitis vaccine for Hajj and Umrah, and the DPT vaccine.

Before vaccination, a medical check-up should be done. This set of medical tests includes confirming any allergies to vaccine components or prior severe reactions. Common post-vaccination reactions in the elderly include fever, dizziness, and muscle aches, which usually resolve within a few days. If the elderly have comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, or other conditions, they should consult their doctor before getting the vaccine.

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