Urgent Call to Protect 7 Million High-Risk Older U.S. Adults From COVID-19

New research published in Aging and Social Policy is urging more support for older adults in community settings with respiratory illnesses against COVID-19, a population that constitutes some 7 million Americans, reports Medical Xpress . The authors warn that current methods in the United States fail to provide sufficient protection for this demographic, and they outline steps to correct this oversight. Remedies include boosting coronavirus testing, particularly for older adults with known respiratory issues; performing assessments to define those at highest risk and ensure that appropriate precautions are followed; conducting social support via scheduled check-ins to guarantee meaningful connection; fulfilling basic needs like food and medicine; and safeguarding home care workers by ensuring the availability of correct personal protective equipment. "Policymakers, providers, and other stakeholders and advocates should take note of the concrete recommendations put forward to keep this category of the population healthy in order to help ensure their safety," advises University of Massachusetts Boston Professor Marc Cohen. "The multi-prong approach that we are advocating here should help to ameliorate these concerns and mitigate further risk. It is incumbent on us to work together with urgency."