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Our researchers work to understand the pathology, improve the diagnostics, and develop more effective treatments, vaccines, and cures for internationally important infectious diseases.
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Older people are at more risk from COVID-19 because of how the immune system ages
Given the difficulty older individuals have in controlling viral infection, the best option is for these individuals to avoid becoming infected by viruses in the first place.
The Conversation: Older people are at more risk from COVID-19 because of how the immune system ages
By Brian Geiss: As you age, the reduced “attention span” of your innate and adaptive immune responses make it harder for the body to respond to viral infection, giving the virus the upper hand.
El Pais: Por qué el coronavirus es más peligroso para los ancianos
La forma en la que envejece el sistema inmunitario es la razón por la que el virus se ceba especialmente en los mayores de 70 años. (Brian Geiss, associate professor of microbiology, immunology, and pathology, wrote this piece for The Conversation. Spanish translation published in the Spanish newspaper, El Pais)