Health
Joe Biden with COVID at age 81: What to know about the risk the virus poses to older adults
President Joe Biden’s testing positive for COVID-19 this week may spark questions about how the virus affects older adults in America.
Certain populations are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID — and older adults top that list, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On Wednesday, the White House released an announcement of Biden’s positive COVID test, noting that the president had been vaccinated and boosted and was “experiencing mild symptoms.”
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His upper respiratory symptoms included “rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise,” according to a statement on the White House’s website.
Here’s what people should know.
On Wednesday, the White House released an announcement about President Biden’s positive COVID test, noting that the president had been vaccinated and boosted and was “experiencing mild symptoms.” Biden is 81 years old. (Getty Images)
COVID prognosis for the elderly
More than 81% of COVID-related deaths affect those age 65 and older, the CDC states on its website — and the number of older people who succumb to the virus is 97 times higher than those who are 18 to 29 years old.
Dr. Norman B. Gaylis, a Florida physician and COVID expert, agreed that adults over 80 years old comprise the highest-risk group for mortality, as they face “multiple significant risks.”
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“COVID causes debilitating problems for the elderly, especially if there is a pre-existing neurological condition such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease,” he told Fox News Digital via email. (He has not examined or treated Biden.)
A diagnosis of acute COVID can affect the ability of those in this age group to think properly, and often causes a condition known as “brain fog,” he said.
“It is a problem, because the elderly are often more susceptible to COVID due to weakened immune systems,” he said.
Best practices after a diagnosis
When someone over age 80 tests positive for the virus, the first course of action is to go into some degree of isolation, Gaylis said.
“It is also important [that people] stay well-hydrated and be cautious not to overexert themselves,” he said.
Paxlovid, Pfizer’s anti-viral medication to treat COVID-19, is displayed in this picture illustration taken on Oct. 7, 2022. Doctors recommend that older adults seek “proactive treatment.” (REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/Illustration)
If symptoms last more than 48 hours, the doctor calls for “proactive treatment.”
“Take Paxlovid or approved nutraceuticals with zinc that boost the immune system,” he recommended.
If symptoms do not decrease after 36 hours — or if symptoms are severe — the patient should seek medical attention right away.
More than 81% of COVID-related deaths affect those age 65 and older, the CDC says on its website — and the number of older people who succumb to the virus is 97 times higher than those who are 18 to 29 years old. (iStock)
“With those in their 80s, it is crucial to check and make sure major organs are not being affected,” Gaylis said.
Regarding Biden’s case of COVID, Gaylis said that only the president’s personal physician can speak to his condition and outlook for recovery.
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“But we should certainly be more concerned about his condition than we would be with someone much younger — and because of his age, we also have to be aware of the risk of long-term health consequences,” he added.
“The elderly are often more susceptible to COVID due to weakened immune systems.”
As of Friday, Biden had completed his fourth dose of Paxlovid and “continues to tolerate treatment well,” according to an updated statement issued from the White House.
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“His loose, nonproductive cough and hoarseness continue to be his primary symptoms, but they have improved meaningfully from yesterday,” the statement said.
Biden will be 82 years old in Nov. 2024.
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Surviving cancer as a child or young adult may have a lasting impact on aging, new research suggests.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center looked at whether life-saving treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, could speed up biological aging.
They also aimed to determine whether this age acceleration was linked to cognitive issues related to memory, focus and learning.
The team analyzed blood samples from a group of 1,400 long-term survivors treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, using epigenetic clocks — tools that estimate biological age by examining chemical tags on DNA.
Biological age is determined based on damage the cells accumulate over time, versus chronological age, which is measured by how long someone has been alive, according to scientists.
Biological age is determined based on the damage cells accumulate over time, according to scientists. (iStock)
“These well-established aging-related biomarkers have previously been associated with neurocognitive impairment and decline in older non-cancer populations, particularly in cognitive domains related to aging and dementia, such as memory, attention and executive function,” the study stated.
Most of the group consisted of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors, or Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Participants were at least five years past their treatment, though some had survived for several decades.
They underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and information processing speed.
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Chemotherapy was found to have the greatest impact on aging acceleration. The study suggests the treatment can alter DNA structure and cause cellular damage.
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“It’s no surprise to find out that young people with cancer who have chemo early in life are affected in terms of long-term aging,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital.
Participants underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and speed of information processing. (iStock)
Researchers also found that cellular aging was closely linked to cognitive performance, as survivors of a higher biological age had more difficulty with memory and attention.
“Chemo poisons and damages cellular function — hopefully the cancer cells more than normal cells, but there is a significant impact on normal cells as well,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study.
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“There is also something called ‘chemo brain,’ which causes at least temporary difficulty with memory, concentration, word finding and brain fog,” the doctor added.
The research team hopes to use these findings to focus on intervention efforts, specifically by determining when accelerated aging begins.
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“Young cancer survivors have many more decades of life to live,” lead study author AnnaLynn Williams, PhD, said in a press release. “If these accelerated aging changes are occurring early on and setting them on a different trajectory, the goal is to intervene to not only increase their lifespan, but improve their quality of life.”
The team hopes this research will help in the development of early intervention tools that aim to prevent cognitive decline. (iStock)
There were some limitations to the study. The researchers could not adjust for chronic health conditions or education because they are directly impacted by treatment.
Additionally, the study only looked at the survivors at a single point of time, so it could not directly prove causation.
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The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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