London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Several infectious diseases can have severe manifestations in older people, as their immune system also ages and with it the efficiency with which some infections can be kept under control, as we are also currently experiencing with the COVID-19 epidemic. Other examples are pneumococcus, influenza and also Varicella Zoster infections, for which vaccines are already in use in the elderly.

Immunising the elderly might require a different way of thinking about how to reach these vulnerable populations, as usually vaccines are given via immunisation clinics in GP surgeries or so-called EPI clinics.

This session will give an idea of uptake of the Varicella zoster vaccine as an example and we will hear the perspective of a person over the age of 60 who would share his views on the value of such vaccines for people suffering from recurrent Herpes Zoster (shingles).

Speakers

Professor Beate Kampmann: Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, Director of the Vaccine Centre, LSHTM & MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM Theme Leader

Professor Beate Kampmann joined the LSHTM from Imperial College London in May 2018 and is the Director of The Vaccine Centre @ LSHTM. She trained as a clinician-scientist in Paediatric Infectious Diseases in Germany, UK, France, USA and South Africa. Beate holds a Chair in Paediatric Infection & Immunity and was appointed as the Scientific Director (Theme Leader) for Vaccinology research at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM in July 2010. She directs a comprehensive childhood infection research program both in the UK and sub-saharan Africa.

As one of the three theme leaders at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, she oversees all research activities in infant immunology, childhood tuberculosis and molecular diagnostics, which range from basic research into innate and acquired immune responses to infection and vaccination in pregnant women and infants and the conduct of clinical trials of novel vaccines, adjuvants adn administration modalities.

Over the last few years she has conducted a number of studies in both UK and West Africa  investigating the scientific and implementation challenges of maternal immunization.

She is the director of IMPRINT- the IMmunising PRegnant women and INfants network, one of the 5 MRC-funded networks for vaccines (www.imprint-network.co.uk).

Professor Punam Mangtani: Professor in Clinical Epidemiology

Professor Mangtani joined the school on an MRC training fellowship after completing an MSc in epidemiology. As a lecturer, she received a Wellcome Trust Valuing People award. Prior to this she lectured in General Practice and had worked for Public Health England (formerly the Health Protection Agency).

Punam has a research background that includes the epidemiology of influenza and other vaccine-preventable infections. She is also an honorary consultant at Public Health England and a member of the pneumococcal subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and have been a member of WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety.   

Ms Lily Parsey: International Longevity Centre (ILC)

Lily is Global Policy and Influencing Manager at the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society.

She leads ILC’s policy, public affairs and influencing activity in the UK and across the world, including a recent global programme on “Prevention in an ageing world” which included a side event to the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting in Japan

She has spoken on the need to prioritise preventative interventions, including immunisation, right across the life course at a number of conferences and events and has been quoted in The Guardian, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Cambridge among others.

Lily sits on the Advisory Board of the Age Action Alliance and was previously Secretary of the European Nutrition for Health Alliance.

Tim: patient advocate

Tim has experienced outbreaks of eczema herpeticum and shingles throughout his life. Tim is surprised at the lack of information for older adults on the availability of a vaccine for this condition. In this session, he will  talk about his experience negotiating the NHS with this condition and availability of the vaccine.

#VaccinesWork for All 

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Full programme on LSHTM's World Immunisation Week 2020