Researchers look at benefits of flu vaccines in the elderly

New research at the University of Notre Dame looks more closely at the effects of the influenza vaccine on the elderly, who are considered the highest-risk group for influenza-related mortality. Despite the fact that the elderly are more susceptible to falling ill, very little is known about how well the influenza vaccination performs for those older than 65 years of age. The new study, which looks at the effects of the influenza vaccine in Canada, is the largest to date in terms of numbers of individuals studied and duration. Seniors “age 65 and older are among those at highest risk of serious outcomes following influenza infection,” said lead author Benjamin Ridenhour, assistant professor of biological sciences and a member of the Eck Institute for Global Health at Notre Dame, in a published manuscript . While annual flu vaccines are recommended for the older population in the United States, Canada and many other developed...