A new education plan has been launched to convince older Canadians that COVID-19 vaccines are useful and helpful for the elderly.
This follows a survey carried out in August that found there was a sharp decline in the number of older Canadians that believe COVID is still a serious health threat.
The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) said the new education effort will be directed at addressing the knowledge gaps.
Key findings from the survey include a sharp decline in perceived risk: while 83 per cent of respondents viewed COVID-19 as a serious health threat at the onset of the pandemic, only 50 per cent consider it a concern today, said an IFA news release.
Similar findings occurred among older adults who were encouraged to get an updated dose of COVID vaccine three to six months after their last dose of vaccine, with only 60 per cent of older Canadians believing that annual vaccinations are necessary.
Health Canada recommends that older Canadians should be getting vaccinated more often due to their lower immunity and less robust health conditions.
The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is an international, non-governmental organization (NGO) with a unique membership base comprising government, NGOs, academics, industry, and individuals in more than 80 countries, for nearly 50 years.
Through its Vaccines4Life program, IFA has worked alongside committed organizations to address barriers to improve adult vaccination rates in the context of healthy aging, said the release.