Immune System

It’s been about 2 months since there’s been a post addressing COVID on agebuzz. That time lag tells you much about where experts thought the pandemic was heading and the reality of where we are now. While earlier this year it appeared that, as a country, we were on our…

First, some data to provide context for where we stand regarding COVID-19 in the United States. We now have officially confirmed 600,000 Americans dead from COVID, more than the combined totals from World War I, II, and Vietnam. On a positive note, 86% of those 65 and older are now…

If we’ve learned one thing this past year, it’s the value of a strong immune system- and why older adults, who tend to have weakened immune systems, may be at special risk when it comes to infectious diseases. Even if you’ve been vaccinated against Covid, it’s still in your best…

So you’ve gotten both your vaccination shots and you’re 2 weeks beyond the second jab. Are you now out of the woods when it comes to being vulnerable to a COVID infection? The data suggest that all available vaccines are overwhelmingly effective in preventing serious illness and death from the…

If you’re one of the lucky 64% of adults over 65 who’ve received at least one dose of your COVID-19 vaccine, congratulations. Even with just one dose in your arm, new data shows that 2 weeks after the first dose the vaccine is already 80% effective, and 2 weeks after…

Those of us fortunate enough to have avoided COVID probably have something else to celebrate: no real flu and few common colds this winter. In fact, only about 1400 people in the US have tested positive for the flu this season, just a small fraction of the usual numbers. And…