Chinese disease control： The risk of COVID-19 infection among elderly people living alone is increasing, so it is recommended to vaccinate as soon as possible.

　　CCTV News:On the afternoon of December 13th, the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism held a press conference to introduce the health management of key population.

　　A reporter asked, some elderly people who live alone think that they have less contact with society and there is no need for vaccination. What do you think of this phenomenon? Do elderly people living alone need vaccination?

　　Wang Huaqing, chief expert of immunization program of China CDC, said that living alone does not mean being completely isolated from society. At the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic, because the source of infection was not extensive, the risk of infection was relatively low for most people. However, we know that the virus is very contagious, spreading very fast, and the spreading process is hidden. In addition, COVID-19 has been spreading continuously in some areas. In this case, the risk of infection is increasing for anyone, including the elderly who live alone.

　　Wang Huaqing said, why are the elderly at high risk of serious illness and death? There are two reasons: first, his immunity is declining with his age. Second, because most elderly people have basic diseases, experts have also said that after being infected with COVID-19, it will also lead to the risk of aggravation of basic diseases. In this case, we suggest that the elderly should be vaccinated as soon as possible, including full vaccination and enhanced immunization, which can provide better protection for the elderly and give their families peace of mind.