Tag: vaccine

The Surprising Benefits of Vaccines for Older Adults

In this post I share updates about the numerous off-target benefits of vaccinations for older adults, highlighting their potential to reduce risks of cardiovascular diseases and dementia. It emphasizes the importance of vaccinations like flu, shingles, and RSV, while noting that many older adults remain unvaccinated, missing out on these protective effects.

updated July 10, 2026

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update but may have changed by the time you read this. Do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with a qualified healthcare professional.

I think I am officially “older”. I qualify for Medicare and have reached my full retirement age. I receive the senior discount at restaurants. I remember many events that younger people have only heard about.

I find many advantages to having reached this age and in this article from KFF Health News I learned about more. The vaccines I have received to prevent infections may also protect me from cardiovascular disease and dementia.

I’m sharing this information with you here now, courtesy of KFF Health News.

VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES
This is not a complete list of all available vaccines.

Vaccines Are Helping Older People More Than We Knew

by Paula Span, January 14, 2026

Let’s be clear: The primary reason to be vaccinated against shingles is that two shots provide at least 90% protection against a painful, blistering disease that a third of Americans will suffer in their lifetimes, one that can cause lingering nerve pain and other nasty long-term consequences.

The most important reason for older adults to be vaccinated against the respiratory infection RSV is that their risk of being hospitalized with it declines by almost 70% in the year they get the shot, and by nearly 60% over two years.

And the main reason to roll up a sleeve for an annual flu, influenza, shot is that when people do get infected, it also reliably reduces the severity of illness. However, its effectiveness varies by how well scientists have predicted which strain of influenza shows up.

photo of a display at the Museum of Natural Science in Washington, DC, from Dr. Aletha

Off-Target Benefits

Dr. Aletha inspecting her arm after a COVID-19 shot

I rolled up my sleeve for a COVID vaccination.



Yet too many older adults, whose weakening immune systems and high rates of chronic illness put them at higher risk of infectious diseases, have not taken advantage of vaccination.

Prevalence of High Level Penicillin Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae, United States.
This image was produced, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1997, It lists the percentages of penicillin resistant S. pneumoniae infections, during 1987, 1991, and 1993-94, based on data collected by both the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Note how over this 8-year period, there was a steady increase in the occurrence of high level penicillin resistance. public domain

Benefit for Heart Disease Prevention

a preserved human heart, from a museum exhibit
photo by Dr. Aletha at the Denver Museum of Natural Science



Lowered rates of cardiovascular hospitalizations and stroke did not reach statistical significance, however. That may reflect a short follow-up period or inadequate diagnostic testing, cautioned Helen Chu, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington and co-author of an accompanying editorial in JAMA.

“I don’t think RSV behaves differently from flu,” Chu said. “It’s just too early to have the information for RSV, but I think it will show the same effect, maybe even more so.”

Possible Dementia Prevention?



Probably the most provocative findings concern vaccination against shingles, aka herpes zoster. Researchers made headlines last year when they documented an association between shingles vaccination and lower rates of dementia — even with the less effective vaccine that has since been replaced by Shingrix, approved in 2017.

Nearly all studies of off-target benefits are observational, because scientists cannot ethically withhold a safe, effective vaccine from a control group whose members could then become infected with the disease.

That means such studies are subject to “healthy volunteer bias,” because vaccinated patients may also practice other healthy habits, differentiating them from those not vaccinated.

Although researchers try to control for a variety of potentially confounding differences, from age and sex to health and education, “we can only say there’s a strong association, not a cause and effect,” Maggi said.



But Stanford researchers seized on a natural experiment in Wales in 2013, when the first shingles vaccine, Zostavax, became available to older people who had not yet turned 80. Anyone who was 80 and older was ineligible.

Over seven years, dementia rates in participants who had been eligible for vaccination declined by 20% — even though only half had actually received the vaccine — compared with those who narrowly missed the cutoff.

“There are no reasons people born one week before were different from those born a few days later,” Maggi said. Studies in Australia and the United States have also found reductions in the odds of dementia following shingles shots.

In fact, in the meta-analysis Maggi and her team published, several other childhood and adult vaccinations appeared to have such effects.

Comparing a Healthy Brain with a brain affected with Alzheimer’s Disease; Credit: National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health

“We now know that many infections are associated with the onset of dementia, both Alzheimer’s and vascular,” she said.

In 21 studies involving more than 104 million participants in Europe, Asia, and North America, vaccination against shingles was associated with a 24% reduction in the risk of developing dementia. Flu vaccination was linked to a 13% reduction. Those vaccinated against pneumococcal disease had a 36% reduction in Alzheimer’s risk.

The Tdap vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) is recommended for adults every 10 years, with vaccination among older adults often prompted by the birth of a grandchild, who cannot be fully vaccinated for months. It was associated with a one-third decline in dementia.

Other researchers are investigating the effects of shingles vaccination on heart attacks and stroke and of COVID vaccination on cancer survival.

Preventing Damage from Chronic Inflammation



What causes such vaccine bonuses? Most hypotheses focus on the inflammation that arises when the immune system mobilizes to fight off an infection. “You have damage to the surrounding environment in the body, and that takes time to calm down,” Chu said.



The effects of inflammation can far outlast the initial illness. It may allow other infections to take hold, or cause heart attacks and strokes when clots form in narrowed blood vessels. “If you prevent the infection, you prevent this other damage,” Chu said.

Hospitalization itself, during which older patients can become deconditioned or develop delirium, is a risk factor for dementia, among other health problems. Vaccines that reduce hospitalization might therefore delay or ward off cognitive decline.

Will Anti-Vaccine Public Policy Cause Missed Vaccinations in Adults?



Health officials in the Trump administration have assailed childhood vaccines more than adult ones, but their vocal opposition may be contributing to inadequate vaccination among older Americans, too.

Many will not only miss out on the emerging off-target benefits but will remain vulnerable to the diseases the vaccines prevent or diminish.

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




This story also ran in The New York Times
Shared without charge under a Creative Commons License by KFF Health News.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

What does this mean for you?

Whether you are already an “older” adult or on your way, this information is worth considering.

Before reading this article, what did you think about the value of immunization?

How will you use this information now in making decisions about your use of immunization to protect your health?

What additional information do you need to feel confident in your decision?

I suggest you discuss your concerns with your personal physician. Also, here are some sites that offer evidence-based information.

From KFF

How Does the Federal Government Monitor Vaccine Safety?

from the FDA

Vaccines

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Use this search box for related posts on this blog or other topics of interest to you.

Dr. Aletha

Public Health Under Fire: HHS and CDC Tensions Explained

In this post I review HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. at the Senate Finance Committee regarding his dismissal of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez and concerns over his anti-vaccine stance. This culminated in resignations from senior CDC officials alarmed by political interference affecting scientific integrity and public health safety.

updated September 20. 2025

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update but may have changed by the time you read this. Do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with a qualified healthcare professional.

Kennedy visits the Senate

On September 4, 2025, HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. appeared before the Senate Finance Committee and was heatedly questioned about several issues. Most of his testimony centered around his firing of the newly confirmed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez.

He was also grilled on his seeming lack of support for vaccination as an important public health measure. They questioned why he appointed several antivaccine scientists to the Advisory Committee on Vaccines. Even the Republican Senators who had voted for his appointment expressed frustration with his leadership.

In this post I explain some of what lead to this confrontation.

Trump appoints a CDC Director

After being without a CDC Director since he took office in January 2025, President Trump and the Senate confirmed Dr. Susan Monarez. This is the first time in history that a CDC Director needed Senate approval.

President Trump posted this on social media about his choice for CDC director.

“Dr. Monarez brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and PostDoctoral training in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

“As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement.

Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr. Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!”

President Trump and Secretary Kennedy at the MAHA commission meeting

That was in July 2025. Something changed by late August.

I share this article published by KFF Health News. It was written by Dr. Celine Gounder, a physician and medical journalist who specializes in infectious diseases and global health. She was a member of the COVID-19 Advisory Board of President Joe Biden.

(I have edited the article slightly for length.)

Senior CDC Officials Resign After Dr. Monarez’s Ouster, Citing Concerns Over Scientific Independence

Written by Dr. Céline Gounder August 29, 2025

Four senior officials with the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced their resignations in recent days, citing what they described as growing political interference in the agency’s scientific work, particularly regarding vaccines.

Two of them — Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief science and medical officer, and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who led the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases — stepped down on Aug. 27, hours after the White House announced the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez.

Dr. Monarez, confirmed by the Senate in late July, was removed less than a month into her tenure.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Monarez “was not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again.” Monarez’s attorneys argue that the dismissal is unlawful, as only the apresident can remove a Senate-confirmed director.

On Aug. 28, Jim O’Neill, the deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, was chosen to serve as acting CDC director. In an internal email sent to CDC staffers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed O’Neill as the acting CDC director without addressing Monarez’s departure. 

“I am committed to working with you to restore trust, transparency, and credibility to the CDC,” Kennedy told CDC employees, later writing that

“President Trump and I are aligned on the commonsense vision for the CDC: Strengthen the public health infrastructure by returning to its core mission of protecting Americans from communicable diseases by investing in innovation to prevent, detect, and respond to future threats.”

HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr.

Concern for Vaccine Policy

Houry and Daskalakis said they had become increasingly uneasy about how vaccine policy was being handled. Both pointed to preparations for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, ACIP, meeting, which recommends vaccine schedules.

Houry said they feared “some decisions had been made before there was even the data or the science to support those. We are scientists, and that was concerning to us.”

Daskalakis added that he was “very concerned that there’s going to be an attempt to relitigate vaccines that have already had clear recommendations with science that has been vetted,” which he warned could undermine public trust. “If you can’t attack access, then why not attack trust? And that’s what I think the playbook is,” he said.

“there’s going to be an attempt to relitigate vaccines that have already had clear recommendations with science that has been vetted,

If you can’t attack access, then why not attack trust? And that’s what I think the playbook is,”

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis

Lack of communication and transparency

Both officials cited instances in which evidence reviews were altered or withdrawn. A CDC analysis of thimerosal, a vaccine preservative, was briefly posted before being taken down at the HHS’ direction.

“If there’s something that doesn’t line up with the recommendations, then that information will be taken down, and it’s not there for the public to see for openness and transparency,” Houry said.

The two also criticized the lack of direct communication between CDC scientists and HHS leadership. Daskalakis said his team was never invited to brief Kennedy on measles and COVID-19.

When asked about Kennedy’s calls for “radical transparency,” Houry and Daskalakis learned about changes to the COVID-19 vaccine schedule for children through social media, not through internal channels.

“The radical transparency manifested itself by a Twitter post, which is how Dr. Houry and I learned that the secretary had mandated the change in the children’s vaccine schedule for COVID,” Daskalakis recalled.

“What is the background that led to that decision? And we were denied access to that information. So, I don’t think that that’s radically transparent,” Daskalakis said.

CBS News and KFF Health News reached out to HHS for comment on some of the allegations made by Houry and Daskalakis but did not immediately hear back.

Scientists Raise An Alarm for Public Health

Both officials said they had no jobs lined up when they resigned. Houry described the decision as an effort to raise the alarm about the direction of the agency.

“For us, this was really sending out a bat signal,” Houry said. “We were the very senior scientists and career leaders at CDC. We thought this was the time to stand together and try to do what we could to raise the alarm around public health in our country.”

Daskalakis said remaining at the CDC under current conditions would have made them complicit in what he called the “weaponization” of public health.

“The safety has already been compromised. … We are flying blind in the U.S. already. If we continued … we would be complicit and would be facilitating the ability to go from flying blind to actively harming people,” he said.

Houry emphasized the severity of the moment by noting that she left without a backup plan.

“My leaving without a job was really just showing how dire the circumstances had become,” Houry said.

Daskalakis said his decision was also shaped by his medical oath.

“As a physician, I take the Hippocratic oath: First, do no harm. I am seeing ideology permeating science in a way that is going to harm children and adults. … I think we are seeing things that are happening that are making our country less prepared to be able to respond to the everyday pathogens … but also … to the next big thing.”

Both also expressed concerns about their personal safety in the current climate.

“The environment we live in … stoked by misinformation, especially from people considered by some to be health authorities, makes me worried for all of us in public health,” Daskalakis said. “I am concerned, but that’s part of our job … to be brave and continue to speak the truth even when we are outside of the CDC.”

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com

Gun Violence-Another Public Health Issue

The resignations came weeks after a shooting outside the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, which law enforcement linked to COVID misinformation.

Houry said the White House response to the shooting was muted. Kennedy toured the site but later gave an interview expressing distrust of experts.

“That was after the attack. It was based on COVID misinformation. So this is when we were trying to build trust,” she said.

Daskalakis added that while Kennedy later described mass shootings as a public health crisis, he believed the secretary should address misinformation as a root cause.

“The misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine — that has been documented by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation” as the reason for the CDC shooting. “I would really recommend that the secretary actually do take his own advice and actually address the core problem that led to that shooting as well,” he said.

He also noted that the CDC’s gun violence prevention programs had been sharply reduced. “We talk about violence as a public health problem.

It is, and there’s things we can do to prevent it. Unfortunately, the majority of that program, the staff are terminated,” he said.

“We talk about violence as a public health problem.
It is, and there’s things we can do to prevent it. Unfortunately, the majority of that program, the staff are terminated,”

Dr. Daskalakis

The firings and resignations have sparked calls for oversight. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont called for a bipartisan investigation, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington urged Kennedy’s removal, and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — who voted to confirm Kennedy’s appointment as HHS secretary — said the developments would “require oversight.”

The events come as the FDA narrowed eligibility for updated COVID-19 vaccines to older adults and people with risk factors for severe COVID.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Subscribe to KFF Health News’ free Morning Briefing.

This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Dr. Monarez Speaks to the Senate

On September 17, 2025, “She testified that she was ousted last month because she refused to cede to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s demands to pre-approve vaccine recommendations for the public and fire career scientists.

“He just wanted blanket approval,” Monarez told members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday. “Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology.”

Monarez described a string of events that she said eventually led to her dismissal, culminating with a “tense” meeting in late August when she clashed with Kennedy over his plans for an influential CDC committee that issues recommendations on vaccines.”

Read the full report from NPR at this link

Ousted CDC director testifies she was fired for resisting pressure from RFK Jr.

Learn about the CDC

I hope you will take the time to learn more about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the website, the

  • CDC is the nation’s leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health.
  • CDC puts science into action to help children stay healthy so they can grow and learn; to help families, businesses, and communities fight disease and stay strong; and to protect the public’s health.

The professionals at the CDC cannot do their job alone. They need the support of elected and appointed government officials and the people they serve.

Health and safety threats are often new and unpredictable, like a viral pandemic or natural disaster, and multiple agencies need to work together to successfully manage threats. Cooperation and support are needed. Blaming and accusations are unproductive and unprofessional and contribute to lack of trust by the people they serve.

Post Graphics

The two graphics about vaccines are currently on the CDC website. The cover photo of CDC headquarters is also on the site.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Medical stethoscope and heart on a textured background

Dr Aletha