Covid 19 has affected the elderly more than other age groups. Both global figures and data from India show that the incidence and prevalence of Covid-19 is higher among this group. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.
The first is the lower immunity level of the elderly. The power to resist any disease is less for the elders than for other age groups. Covid-19 which is a communicable disease is a highly contagious disease also and any proximity to a Covid victim is enough to contract the disease.
Another reason for the old’s vulnerability is that most of the old will have at least one non communicable disease (NCD). Several of them will have more than one of these diseases. Covid-19 affects the lungs and heart and those with cardio vascular problems are more likely to be victims. Other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis are common among many of the old. Of late, cancer also has begun to threaten the elderly. While carrying these diseases, one will be more vulnerable to Covid-19 than others who are healthy. This further weakens one’s immunity and Covid will find an easy victim in such a person.
The internationally prescribed precautions against covid-19 are wearing masks, keeping distance of at least two meters in personal contact and washing hands with soap often. These are comparatively easy to practice. To a large extent, these precautions have been able to keep the disease in abeyance all over the world.
But there are many problems for the old in trying to keep off from the Covid threat. About 40 per cent of the households in India are with large family size. The average number of members in these families will be around five and are with old parents. While the intensity of Covid has lessened in recent times and governments have relaxed many of the Covid restrictions. But restrictions regarding the movements of the old remain the same. Bing asked not to move out of the house to the extent possible is one of them. This will create many hardships for the old. Number one is the prevention of the little exercise in moving out of the house. Having to remain indoors with little room for movement in the household and no yard or open field for walking outside will affect the health of the old in an adverse manner. In the small house, people are moving in close contact and this makes the distance factor in Covid avoidance difficult.
Governments everywhere are seized of these problems and are doing their best to solve them. In Kerala specially trained health workers and social workers are put in the field to attend to these problems. Even so, attaining normalcy in life in their case will be a remote solution.
Covid 19 is going to stay for several months more and one has to live with it. While caution is one way out for the situation and while all segments of the population have to observe caution, the old have to be more so.