- Preventing infection is just as important as a healthy diet and physical activity in managing diabetes well.
- For those at at high risk, getting the flu vaccination can reduce hospitalization rates by around 40 percent.
- Over the past 50 years, vaccinations have saved more Canadian lives than any other health intervention.
Managing diabetes well involves paying careful attention to your health. Preventing infection may not be the first healthcare strategy that springs to mind. However, it is just as necessary as a healthy diet and physical activity. Diabetes impairs how well the immune (defence) system functions. This puts those with diabetes at higher risk of different types of infection, including diseases such as the flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and hepatitis B. Staying up to date with vaccinations is a cornerstone of diabetes health care.
Older adults are also more at risk for getting infections and developing complications. Aging affects the immune system. Other factors include existing medical conditions, and living in long-term care settings or spending time in hospital. Infectious diseases can lead to serious complications, hospitalization, or death, especially in older adults.
Vaccines provide the longest-lasting, most effective protection against many infectious diseases. Getting immunized protects you and those around you from potentially life-threatening infectious diseases. It is especially critical for children to receive vaccinations. However, vaccinations are also very important for older people, and those who have health conditions like diabetes.
Influenza (flu): Influenza, also called flu, is a respiratory illness that infects the nose, throat and lungs. People who have diabetes are at high risk of illness and death from flu. During previous flu pandemics, people with diabetes were more likely to be admitted to hospital or to intensive care units. Flu vaccines are proven to work to reduce hospitalization and death for adults of all ages, including those with diabetes.
For this reason, current Canadian guidelines recommend yearly flu vaccinations for everyone over six months of age. Having a chronic medical condition like diabetes makes getting the flu vaccine even more vital.
Immunizations are truly one of the greatest achievements in medicine, dramatically reducing some infections that spread very easily, such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
Vaccines have put an end to the terrible smallpox disease, and eliminated polio in most of the world.
COVID-19 1: SARS-CoV-2 is the respiratory virus that causes COVID-19. It can cause mild symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat or fever. However, severe disease can occur in older adults and those with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes. There are several vaccines that protect Canadians 6 months of age and older against COVID-19. It is very important for individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, to get COVID-19 vaccines.
Pneumococcal disease: Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria spreads from person to person via droplets from coughing or sneezing. The bacteria can cause community-acquired pneumonia. Invasive pneumococcal disease, a life-threatening condition, can also occur.
Children and adults over 60 years of age are at highest risk of pneumococcal infection. However, older adults suffer more complications and have a higher risk of death. There are two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines that are recommended to protect Canadian adults.
- Pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine (PNEU-C-20) – recommended for all adults over 65 years of age, adults 50-64 years of age with risk factors that put them at higher risk of pneumococcal disease, and adults 18-49 years of age living with immunocompromising conditions.
- If PNEU-C-20 is not available, pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine (PNEU-C-15) followed by pneumococcal 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PNEU-P-23) at least 8 weeks later may be given
- Pneumocococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PNEU-C-13) and Pneumococcal 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PNEU-P-23) are no longer recommended in the 2023 Canadian guidelines, but are still available. People who have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, are at higher risk of pneumococcal infections. They are also more likely to be hospitalized. If you have not been previously immunized against this disease, speak with your health care team. This is especially important if you have diabetes. Coverage within your province may also be a factor in which vaccine is given.
Hepatitis B: The hepatitis B virus is very contagious. This virus is carried in the blood, and infects the liver. The infection may be short-term (acute), but can become longer-lasting (chronic). It can lead to liver failure. Adults who have diabetes are at about twice the risk of getting an acute hepatitis B infection compared to adults who do not have diabetes. For this reason, hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all adults who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Shingles (herpes zoster): Shingles involves an extremely painful rash. It can also cause nerve pain that can be very challenging to deal with, sometimes lasting for months after the rash is gone. Being over age 50 is the greatest risk factor for developing shingles. The herpes zoster vaccine is recommended for anyone over this age.
For those whose immunizations are not up to date, it is never too late to get caught up. In many instances, more than one vaccine can be given at the same visit, including those for influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and herpes zoster. If more than one vaccine is given, different injection sites, and separate syringes and needles will be used. If different injection sites are not available, guidelines recommend that each injection be separated by at least 2.5 centimetres.
Immunizations are truly one of the greatest achievements in medicine. They have saved more Canadian lives over the last 50 years than any other health intervention.
Childhood vaccines have dramatically reduced some infections that spread very easily, such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. Vaccines have put an end to the terrible smallpox disease, and eliminated polio in most of the world. The best way to protect our communities from diseases which can be prevented by vaccination is for everyone to keep their immunizations up to date. This is certainly important for people who have chronic medical conditions.
If you have questions about vaccination, your family doctor, pharmacist, or public health office can provide answers.
WRITTEN BY: Angel Chu, M.D., FRCPC, Vice-Chair of Immunize Canada and an infectious diseases specialist in Calgary, Alberta.
