Risk of adverse reactions for vaccinated seniors low, expert says

Elderly people do not have higher risks of suffering adverse reactions from receiving COVID-19 vaccines than younger people, an expert said on Tuesday.

Wang Huaqing, an inoculation expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said his center has been tracking COVID vaccines' adverse reactions over the past two years, and based on data gathered so far, the incidence of adverse reactions among recipients aged 60 and older is slightly lower than among younger recipients.

"In terms of serious adverse reactions, the incidence rate is generally the same among different age groups, which is below 0.000001," he said at a news conference.

According to Wang, clinical and research data show that unvaccinated senior COVID patients and those with underlying conditions are much more likely to exhibit severe symptoms or die from the disease. However, the chances of weathering the illness increase significantly with a full course of vaccination, and preferably a booster shot, he said.

Asked if it is necessary to inoculate elderly people living on their own, Wang's answer is yes, because "living alone doesn't mean they are isolated from the world".

"We know that the virus is very contagious, and spreads very quickly and stealthily," he said, adding all elderly people should get fully vaccinated and receive booster jabs.