The immune systems of elderly people respond weakly when coming into contact with the coronavirus due to the fact that their risk of reinfection is higher, says epidemiologist and head of the laboratory at MIPT, Pavel Volchkov.

This phenomenon, in addition to elderly patients’ higher mortality rates from COVID-19, is associated with the aging of the immune system, in his opinion. Thus, the human adaptive immune system, which is made up of B- and T-cells, actively produces during childhood and adolescence, but this system begins to work less effectively with age.

The expert told Izvestia that B- and T-cells are almost never formed in old age.

He said that the thymus is responsible for the production of T-cells. Over time, the thymus is absorbed, and it almost disappears between the ages of 40-50.

The epidemiologist added that elderly people’s immune systems are capable of responding to new stimuli, but it will not defend against the stimuli as effectively. Therefore, the elderly must be vaccinated as quickly as possible to defend themselves. Moreover, the expert suggested that everyone who hasn’t been infected should be vaccinated.