Aftonbladet published a debate article on March 21 written by fourteen prominent geriatric reseachers from Swedish universities about the need of more stringent actions to protect eldery persons from the CoVID-19.

Read the debate article (in Swedish)

ARC’s Professor Laura Fratiglioni summarizes the article:

The article highlights the clinical and public health relevance to increase our efforts in protecting the older adults from the CoViD-19. More stringent actions are needed to avoid as much as possible the CoViD-19 infection among elderly persons, especially among those with multimorbidity and disability.   It is not sufficient that  70+ old people are recommended to stay at home, although very important.

The following suggestions are relevant for all people with some frailty due to diseases or other chronic conditions, independent of age:

• Use of surgical masks by the staff providing medical and social care to the elderly people living at home or in institutions

• Regular tests to check CoViD-19 infection to the staff providing medical and social care to the elderly people living at home or in institutions

• Organization of psychosocial support for those older people living alone at home

• Organization of essential home services even for those elderly persons who are completely independent but stay at home according to the recommendation

Photo on start page by Erik Somnäs. Note that the person portayed in the photo has nothing to do with the content of the debate article.