England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty has urged the doctors to prioritise the treatment of infections among older adults.
During the launch of his annual report on health, Whitty observed that older people were often "underserved" when it came to both NHS care and medical research.
“Whilst we are very systematic about reducing infections and preventing infections in children and in young adults, in older adults it’s often a lot more hit and miss.”
He felt the medical community had been fatalistic about elderly infections and need to do more to curb infections such as pneumonia, influenza, urinary tract infections, and flu.
These infections have the potential to cause stroke, heart attack or even dementia, he added.
He said that to protect against winter bugs, people should resort to "common sense" measures such as washing hands, taking care when preparing food, staying at home when ill, and accepting the free vaccines offered on the NHS.
Whitty’s remarks came amid reports of England going through an unprecedented flu season.
He also expressed concern over the fall in childhood vaccines over the last decade, which is more pronounced in London.
“We need to keep our capacity to prevent and respond to infections up between events rather than wring our hands and wish we had done so when they occur,” he reminded the public.
