Should Senior Citizens Worry About Monkeypox?

Should Senior Citizens Worry About Monkeypox?

There isn’t a reason not to

Anyone who has lower immunity is susceptible to diseases. And when you catch the disease, immunity weakens further to not even recover at all. The worst part happens if there is no medical treatment.

Monkeypox is a rare and mild disease, as dictated by the CDC. It is a virus of the smallpox family that causes the disease with symptoms somewhat related to smallpox itself.

The virus is said to enter the body from body orifices, broken skin, and respiratory passages. That being said- the virus is highly contagious.

Common hints of inflammation — fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, and aching muscles advance in no time into extremely itchy and painful rashes (that look like pimples or blisters). Even after the rash is gone leaves a permanent scar on the skin.

Image courtesy: GETTY IMAGES

For elders, the disease is a concern not because of its inflammatory signs or rashes leaving a permanent scar on the skin.

Monkeypox might be less severe for them and might heal in a couple of weeks. But there is always a chance that the havoc will be tumbled by psychological issues and the secondary infections that follow.

Psychological fragility

When you are caught up in a disease that has no proven cure, you are already in the red zone. The psychological impact is what even lowers the immunity of the senior citizens. This fact was evident in the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Many senior citizens who were misinformed that they had a common cold instead of covid-19 responded well to the disease and recovered. Others who were told the truth lost hope much earlier and passed away.

Secondary infections

Another is secondary infections which could be bacterial and fungal. Rashes and open skin wounds by the disease escalate the chances for pathogens to hop in from the environment. Secondary infections can spread dangerously and bring serious illness, especially when the body is inching towards recovery.

A disease, either mild or serious is always a risk to the health of senior citizens. We should protect them, apply precautionary methods and save the precious moments of our togetherness. Life is uncertain to all anyway.

Here is the link where WHO answers the related questions on Monkeypox.