In episode 9 of our COVID19 Road to a vaccine series, our host, Associate Professor Nigel Crawford, speaks with Professor Robert Booy. Robert is a Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Sydney and is a Senior Professorial Fellow at NCIRS, the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance at Westmead Children’s Hospital. He has special research interests in serious infections and their prevention, particularly in the setting of aged care facilities. In this episode they discuss:
- Special risk groups when it comes to SARS-CoV-2, in particular, those living and working in aged care facilities
- How the ageing process leads to immunosenescence and the impact of this on vaccine efficacy in the elderly population
- The use of adjuvants in vaccines for the elderly population
- How to improve public health messaging and the management of respiratory illnesses in aged care facilities
- Lessons learnt from around the world with high mortality rates in aged care residents and workers and how that can inform the response to outbreaks in aged care facilities in Australia
Links:
- The Conversation: Protecting our elderly: beating flu outbreaks in nursing homes
- The Guardian: National cabinet plans rapid-response units to curb COVID-19 outbreaks in Australian aged care facilities
- PLOS One: Treating and Preventing Influenza in Aged Care Facilities: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
Listen to the episode here: