COVID-19 vaccine protection wanes faster among the elderly: Singapore study

With COVID-19 still prevalent in residential aged care homes (209 Australian homes have the virus circulating on 11 April), this is a timely warning to residents to keep up booster vaccinations.

The study led by Dr Vanda Ho, a PhD student at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Immunology and Infectious Diseases Translational Research Programmes at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, found in people over 65, protection from the first two doses of vaccine wanes faster as they have a lower immune cell count.

The study involved 29 participants, 14 of whom were aged between 66 and 82, and the rest being aged between 25 and 39 years. They all received two doses of Pfizer’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

The findings of the study were published in the peer-reviewed journal Ageing Cell in February.

“Older adults had a significant increase in neutralisation after the second dose, but this was still lower than the younger adults, despite the former being robust,” said Dr Ho.

Dr Ho, a geriatrician at Singapore's National University Hospital, said immune cells play a key role in helping to produce antibodies that neutralise potential viral infection, but the immune cell count is lower in older adults.

“From our study in the Covid-19 mRNA vaccination... with fewer immune cells, older adults have a smaller vaccination response (compared with) younger adults,” she said.

“From my study, older adults have a relative deficiency in a specific immune T cell type, and this correlates with the smaller neutralisation activity in older adults when the cells are exposed to the virus parts in the lab.

“The two doses (of the Covid-19 vaccine) were the first finding we had, and we are currently looking into booster vaccination and hybrid immunity data. We are currently recruiting people who are planning for their fourth or further booster vaccination of any type.”

In Australia, the Department of Health and Aged Care state that 72.7% of aged care residents have received a booster dose since 1 January 2023 as of 10 April 2024.

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.