Joe Duffy 'more conscious of his health than ever' following retirement
Joe Duffy says he is more conscious of his health than ever following retirement. The ex Liveline host spoke about protecting his health as a new study has found that awareness of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is very low among older adults and their carers, despite the virus being a major cause of hospitalisations each winter. RSV is a respiratory virus that, despite being very common, can cause severe complications in adults over the age of 65. These complications can include pneumonia and the worsening of underlying conditions such as COPD and Heart Disease. Analysis of hospitalisation trends for this season, shows that the percentage of patients hospitalised with RSV admitted to ICU align closely to those with Influenza (Flu). The number of older people in Ireland is predicted to grow significantly in the years ahead. This research was presented at 'Well into the Future: Protecting the Health of Older Generations', a symposium for patient groups, older adults and healthcare workers, chaired by the former RTÉ presenter. He said: "As someone who has recently retired, I'm more conscious than ever of the need to be proactive about my health. It's no secret that many things become harder as you age and recovering from what might seem like a routine infection is one of them. "I've learned from personal experience and from watching older family members, how disruptive winter viruses can be. That's why I believe awareness is so important. Too many people simply don't know about RSV or the risks it carries for older adults. "We all need to be mindful, to look out for ourselves and each other and to take the simple steps that can protect us, whether that's recognising the symptoms early, talking to our doctors, or making informed choices about vaccination. The more we shine a light on RSV, the better chance we have of preventing avoidable illness." Although awareness of RSV is limited, the study found that people do perceive it as a risk, with 85% of respondents stating their concern that an RSV infection for an older adult in their care could become severe. Orlaith Gavan, Country Medical Director for Pfizer Healthcare Ireland said: "RSV in Ireland is an underestimated threat to older adults and high-risk individuals. "Our research shows this clearly as only 8% of respondents believe they have ever had RSV, when almost everyone has been infected at some point. While RSV infection is often routine, it is important that those at higher risk, particularly older adults, understand the threat it poses. "Our findings show that they do not and neither do their carers. Most people are more familiar with Flu, which has been shown to have a similar mortality rate to RSV, or are more concerned about pneumonia, which can in some cases be caused by RSV infection. "Greater awareness of RSV will help ensure it is recognised alongside these other serious winter illnesses." The National Immunisation Committee (NIAC) has recommended that all adults aged over 65 should be vaccinated against RSV. Despite this recommendation, the study found just 18% were aware that a vaccine is available. There is, however, strong support for RSV vaccinations with 85% of caregivers, responding to the survey, believing it should be freely available for older adults. Vaccines have been made available free of charge for older adults in several European countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden, with positive outcomes. A programme was introduced in Scotland last year offering a free RSV vaccine to people aged 75 to 79, which achieved an uptake of almost 69% of that age cohort resulting in a 62% drop in RSV hospitalisations. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
