The Chief Medical Officer's annual report for 2025 has been released with a focus on infection. Professor Whitty’s report considers trends, successes and challenges in preventing and treating infectious diseases, with a particular focus on the effects on older people.
In response, CARINA, the British Society for Immunology's Immune-Ageing Network, has released the following statement.
Professor Arne Akbar, Chair of the British Society for Immunology Immune-Ageing Network, CARINA, and Professor of Immunology at University College London, said:
“As we age, our immune systems change and become less effective at keeping us healthy. This means that older people are more likely to catch infections, to have more severe symptoms and secondary complications and to take longer to recover. It’s important that we educate the public, healthcare professionals and decision-makers on how we can keep our immune systems functioning optimally in older age to enable people to live healthier lives for longer. As well as exercise, healthy eating and getting enough sleep, vaccines are a key enabler of preventing infection in older adults.
“Preventing and better managing infections into older age had huge potential to enable people to enjoy a better quality of life for longer as well as being a significant route to alleviate pressure on health and social care systems. We welcome the focus of the Chief Medical Officer’s report on infections in older age and hope it will catalyse a renewed focus on researching how we can prevent disease and improve health outcomes from infection in this age group.”