Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew

Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew

Author: Paula Span, KFF Health News
Publication: The Denver Post
Date: January 19, 2026
URL: Click here for the article

Summary:

Recent research reveals that vaccines provide significant "off-target benefits" for older adults beyond preventing their primary target diseases. 

Flu vaccination substantially reduces hospitalization risks for heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes in healthy older adults. 

Shingles vaccination is associated with a 24% reduction in dementia risk, while flu shots show a 13% reduction. 

Pneumococcal vaccination links to a 36% reduction in Alzheimer's risk, and Tdap vaccination correlates with a one-third decline in dementia. 

RSV vaccination shows nearly 10% decline in cardio-respiratory hospitalizations. COVID vaccination has been linked to lower risk of developing long COVID. 

Despite these benefits, vaccination rates among US seniors remain inadequate: 31% haven't received flu shots, only 41% of those 75+ have been vaccinated against RSV, about one-third received the latest COVID-19 vaccine, and only 8-12% received the recommended pneumococcal vaccine since 2022 guidelines. 

Researchers attribute these benefits to vaccines preventing inflammation that can damage cardiovascular and cognitive health. The findings come as uncertain national vaccine policy creates concern among public health officials.

Quotes:

"The research has accumulated and accelerated over the last 10 years," said William Schaffner, infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"The findings are really very consistent," said Stefania Maggi, geriatrician and senior fellow at the Institute of Neuroscience at the National Research Council in Padua, Italy, lead author of a meta-analysis on vaccines and dementia risk.

"Vaccines are key tools to promote healthy aging and prevent physical and cognitive decline," Maggi added.

"I don't think RSV behaves differently from flu. It's just too early to have the information for RSV, but I think it will show the same effect, maybe even more so," said Helen Chu, infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington.

"We now know that many infections are associated with the onset of dementia, both Alzheimer's and vascular," Maggi said.

"You have damage to the surrounding environment in the body, and that takes time to calm down. If you prevent the infection, you prevent this other damage," Chu explained.

"The current national policy on vaccination is at best uncertain, and in instances appears anti-vaccine. All of us in public health are very, very distressed," said Schaffner, former member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.