Impact: News and Resources

The News & Resources page is a space to explore up to date information about V4L projects, press releases, reports, latest videos and access helpful infographics.

Respiratory Season Campaign

Influenza and other respiratory diseases can have lasting impacts on health and independence — especially for older adults.
Through the #AHealthierSeason campaign, the IFA brings together stories, tools, and resources to help communities stay protected.

This four-month campaign highlights the importance of prevention and vaccination, featuring videos, learning modules, infographics, and more — all aimed at promoting awareness and supporting stronger vaccination policies.

Evidence to Action: Towards Improved Vaccination Policy for High-Risk Populations in Long-Term Care

Older adults living in long-term care (LTC) are at higher risk of severe illness from vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, shingles, and COVID-19. Despite this, many remain unprotected due to gaps in policy, access, and education.

The International Federation on Ageing’s new report Evidence to Action: Towards Improved Vaccination Policy in LTC highlights urgent steps to advance vaccination in long-term care.

Report

Latest IFA Study Highlights Gaps and Opportunities for a Life Course Approach in NITAGs

Toronto, Ontario – The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is pleased to release the findings of its latest study, Mobilizing Evidence to Support a Life Course Approach Within National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs). The study illustrates that while the value and importance of adult vaccination are often well-recognized by NITAGs, restrictions on government investment and competing health priorities continue to leave at-risk groups of older adults and those with chronic medical conditions underserved.

Press Release

Informing National Adult Immunization Strategies and Actions

The Roadmap provides a step-by-step framework for creating community-driven campaigns, improving information accessibility, and measuring progress. By uniting stakeholders and amplifying trusted voices, it aims to foster lasting change in vaccination policies and public trust.

Join us in advancing adult vaccination—an essential step toward healthier, more resilient communities.

Expert Meeting Roadmap

IFA Calls for Increased Shingles Vaccine Access for Older Adults Across Canada

Shingles Matters—Protecting Older Adults Across Canada
The first week of June marked Seniors Week in British Columbia, and all of June is recognized as Seniors’ Month in Ontario. During this time of celebrating older adults, the IFA is calling for urgent action: public funding of the shingles vaccine for all adults aged 50+. With 1 in 3 Canadians affected in their lifetime, it’s time to invest in prevention and equity.

New policy briefs spotlight the gaps—and opportunities—in Ontario, B.C., and Manitoba.

Press Release

The Global Atlas on Adult Vaccination (GAAV)

The Global Atlas on Adult Vaccination (GAAV) responds to the urgency for greater policy attention to adult vaccination to support the uptake of one of the most effective public health interventions of our time in saving lives and maintaining and improving function. The GAAV combines resources from across partners and stakeholder groups to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders while providing multidisciplinary, evidence-based policy analysis to support advocacy efforts towards a life course approach to vaccination.

Ultimately, the GAAV aims to support actions towards influencing policy to improve adult vaccination programs, infrastructure, data and uptake. Resources coalesced around key policy issues in the GAAV can be built upon by members and serve as evidence that underpins advocacy strategies and actions to influence adult vaccination policy and good practice at the country level and across regions.

Press Release, Executive Summary, Summary Table, Social Media Tiles,

Podcast Series: hMPV – A Common Yet Unknown Respiratory Threat

Most deaths from respiratory viruses occur in older adults, with the risk of infection and adverse consequences increasing drastically with advancing age. (1) Age-related deterioration of the immune system, termed immunosenescence, are directly related to the high morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases, particularly respiratory tract infections. (2) Additionally, as the global population ages, the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease and diabetes mellitus, increases, presenting co-morbidities that increase risk of infectious diseases for older adults.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a virus that may cause respiratory tract infections, belonging to the same family of viruses as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). (3) Symptoms of hMPV infections are not dissimilar to many other respiratory diseases that include cough, nasal congestion, fever, sore throat, and wheezing. (4) In more serious cases, hMPV may cause more severe respiratory disease, exacerbation of other chronic conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (5,6), and result in hospitalization.

In this 3-part podcast series, “hMPV – A Common Yet Unknown Respiratory Threat”, the IFA aims to raise awareness of hMPV as a common respiratory disease. The series will feature scientists, clinicians and thought leaders, and the voices of older people and groups representing those most at risk of serious disease to promote comprehensive information on hMPV.

IFA would like to thank Sanofi for supporting this series.

Civil Society Action in NITAGS

The virtual dialogue, Civil Society Action in the Implementation of a Life-Course Approach to NITAGs, aimed to build consensus across the fields of ageing, patient advocacy, and vaccination on key actions to drive structural change in NITAGs so that patient voices inform policy recommendations. During the dialogue, participating civil society organizations (CSOs) across nine countries delved into their experiences in addressing challenges and barriers in vaccination policy in their country, engaging in NITAG decision-making, and participating in advocacy efforts to strengthen a life course approach within NITAGs…

Consensus Statement, Press Release

Driving Pneumococcal Vaccination Policy to Protect Older Canadians

As Canada’s ageing population grows, projected to exceed 11 million adults aged 65 and older by 2043, older adults face heightened risks from pneumococcal disease, a leading cause of severe infections and hospitalizations. Despite the proven effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination, gaps in policy and program implementation significantly limit vaccine uptake among older adults, leaving them disproportionately affected by invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Current immunization strategies frequently prioritize pediatric populations, overlooking the unique needs and epidemiological risks faced by older Canadians. The Driving Pneumococcal Vaccination Policy to Protect Older Canadians project, aims to close these gaps by advocating for evidence-based vaccination strategies, tailored policies, and improved access for older adults.

National Policy Brief, Ontario Policy Brief, Alberta Policy Brief, Quebec Policy Brief

IFA and EuGMS Statement of Action – Supporting a life course approach within National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAGs)

Vaccination is a crucial public health intervention, especially for older adults who are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) due to weakened immune systems and chronic conditions. Despite its benefits, vaccine uptake among older adults remains low due to various factors, including lack of inclusion in national immunization plans, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient data, and lack of healthcare provider training and patient education. Vaccination is a crucial public health intervention, especially for older adults who are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) due to weakened immune systems and chronic conditions. Despite its benefits, vaccine uptake among older adults remains low due to various factors, including lack of inclusion in national immunization plans, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient data, and lack of healthcare provider training and patient education…

Statement of Action

Raising awareness of RSV as part of your vaccine preventable respiratory diseases in Canada

August 1, 2024

Ageing organizations support NACI’s recommendations on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for older and at-risk adults in Canada The International Federation on Ageing (IFA), The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), The National Institute on Ageing (NIA) and Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization (CanAge) are pleased to see the recent recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) regarding RSV prevention in Canada, which support protecting older and at-risk populations in Canada.

Press Release

Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) report “Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes” highlights the substantial socio-economic benefits of adult immunisation programs. These programs can yield up to 19 times the investment by improving health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing societal productivity. The study underscores the importance of prioritizing adult vaccination to foster healthier communities and a more efficient healthcare system.

Click here to download the Full Report

Increasing Adult Immunization Strategies and Actions

Attend the virtual workshop Informing National Adult Immunization Strategies and Action in Germany and France. The overarching purpose of the workshop is to leverage the work of experts, organizations, and government at a national level in France and Germany to develop a targeted approach to immunization policy, in consideration of country-specific context, policies, programs and attitudes towards immunization.

Virtual Workshop

Advancing Immunization Through the Decade of Healthy Ageing

Advancing Immunization Through the Decade of Healthy Ageing is a report that shines a powerful light on the gaps in vaccination policies for older adults, as well as emerging opportunities. Through V4L’s work, immunization can be viewed as an opportunity to combat inequities, improve access to immunization, and promote health throughout life, including helping preserve function and prevent death and disability.

Click here to download the Full Report | Click here to download the Press Release

IFA launches their Shingles Atlas for Adult Vaccination (SAAV) advocacy tool to support gaps in shingles vaccination policy globally.

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is proud to announce the subsequent launch of the Shingles Atlas for Adult Vaccination (SAAV) advocacy tool during World Immunization Week, which was held between 24^thof April to 30^th of April 2024.

Click here to download the Press Release | Find out more about the SAAV Interactive World Map

Social Media - Sanofi Canada - Brochure (Front and back)

Improving Canadian Adult Influenza Immunization Rates Through Knowledge and Action

In an effort to better understand the perceptions, awareness and knowledge of influenza as a vaccine-preventable disease, the importance of vaccination and the options available among older adults, the IFA has embarked upon the Improving Canadian Adult Influenza Immunization Rates Through Knowledge and Action Project! This project included key informant interviews and an on-line survey which gathered Canadians views on influenza vaccination practices and the vaccines available to older people. Using this information, the IFA has developed a number of awareness raising and educational resources to ensure that all Canadians have access to the important information they need in an appropriate and easy to use format…

Influenza brochure, fact sheet, social media toolkit

RSV: Raising awareness, driving prevention

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus and is often misunderstood to be only a childhood illness. However, older adults and those with chronic conditions constitute a large at-risk population for serious complications from RSVs, including lower respiratory illness. Every year, the RSV results in many older adults experiencing life-altering consequences, with estimates of 470,000 hospitalizations and 33,000 deaths in those aged 60 years and over in high-income countries, in 2019. Despite such staggering numbers and the growing evidence indicating that RSV may compare to influenza disease, there is a significant underestimation of the disease burden in older adults…

Podcast, Global Cafe, Visual Assets

Addressing Adult Immunisation Inequity and Improving the Uptake Rates of Adult Vaccination Among Older People

This exciting publication underscores the importance and urgency of ensuring equitable access to vaccinations for all older adults through the sustained and meaningful integration of a life course approach to immunization and highlights the IFA’s continued commitment to ensuring that the rights and choices of older adults are respected and protected.

The article illustrates the interrelated nature of NCDs and population ageing, highlighting key opportunities for synergistic action aligned with global agendas such as the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030, the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and the WHO Global Report on Ageism…

Call to Action

The role of pharmacy in life-course vaccination

Vaccination is a highly effective and cost-efficient health intervention that not only keeps vaccinated individuals healthy but also improves the health of the entire population through direct and indirect impacts. Routine vaccination has helped control and eliminate several infectious diseases, preventing millions of deaths annually. Vaccination also reduces the burden on healthcare systems and curbs antimicrobial resistance. However, limited and inequitable access to vaccines in some countries, as well as vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, remain significant challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these access problems and strained health systems, highlighting the importance of proper information, and storage, handling and distribution of vaccines to ensure public confidence and trust in vaccination…

FIP Statement of Policy

Adult Vaccination Healthcare Providers Education ECHO Series

Despite the devastating impact of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) on individuals, societies, and nations, adult immunization as a pillar of healthy ageing is seldom prioritized. Emerging from a global pandemic, there is a critical need to connect interdisciplinary stakeholders, provide a platform for knowledge sharing, and empower healthcare providers (HCPs) to be educators and advocates of adult vaccination for their constituents.

With this in mind, the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is proud to announce the Adult Vaccination Healthcare Providers Education ECHO, which aims to strengthen healthcare provider skills and competencies to promote and advocate for adult immunization. Building on previous programming and experience, IFA will harness the ECHO^TM Model and its proven method of learning for this innovative program to educate and inform diverse healthcare providers on the important linkages between healthy ageing and the prevention of VPDs.

Learning opportunity, education

Presidential Symposium on Immunisation for all ages

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) recently held its 16th Global Conference on Ageing entitled Challenge, Transformation, Change which aimed to influence and shape policy that improves the quality of life of current and future generations of older people. The IFA’s 16th Global Conference boldly focused on themes not often prioritized and actioned in policy dialogue, including Immunisation for All Ages as a key theme.

Executive Summary

Prioritisation of Vaccine Preventable Respiratory Diseases –2022

During 2022, through an advisory panel forum, Pfizer brought together experts in adult vaccination from across Europe to discuss the Prioritisation of Vaccine Preventable Respiratory Diseases.

During the sessions, members of the advisory panel discussed the opportunities and challenges to elevate adult vaccination, beyond COVID-19 and influenza, to other adult vaccines such as pneumococcal, with a particular focus on how best to support health system sustainability and resilience ahead of Winter 2022/23…

Call to Action

Driving Policy Change through the Targeted Accelerated Implementation of the Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT)

An expert meeting was held in Prague, Czech Republic to pilot-test the AVAT and ensure the feasibility of its implementation at a national level, while assessing components of the policy toolkit for its effectiveness in supporting adult vaccination advocacy. Through dialogue with discipline and sector-diverse experts, including those from long-term care and social service settings, geriatricians, and industry, this meeting resulted in multiple outputs and assets to build capacity for advocacy while providing examples of how the toolkit can be used to create resources for such initiatives.

Executive Summary

Burden of disease – A focus on acute respiratory viruses in older adults

Why should older adults be particularly careful of acute respiratory viruses? What are risk factors for adverse outcomes? Why is RSV typically under-diagnosed in adults compared with flu and what are some of the long-term impacts? Are older adults always more at risk in a pandemic? What do we mean by ageism and what needs to be done to counter it…

Podcast

WHO announces that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)

Press release

Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy

“Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy” assessed pneumonia vaccination policy, public health messages and campaigns for at-risk adult groups and older people across nine European countries with the ultimate goal of improving uptake rates of pneumonia vaccination and decreasing the burden of pneumonia among high-risk adults…

Summary report, consensus statement, country-level reports

Improving vaccine confidence in the most vulnerable populations

Despite the historical triumph of vaccination, societal distrust in the importance, safety, and effectiveness of vaccination has resulted in lowered rates of vaccine confidence amongst populations, contributing to epidemiological shifts in the burden of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs)…

Executive summary, consensus statement, message bank, press kit

Influenza stakeholder showcase

Vaccination against influenza (the flu) is the most impactful public health intervention that provinces, civil society organizations (CSOs), and individuals can support in order to protect older adults and immunocompromised individuals from poor outcomes following influenza infection…

Executive summary, consensus statement, policy brief, infographic, message bank, press kit

Adult pertussis vaccination

Given the rapid ageing of the world’s population and with the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing in motion, now is the time to prioritize and drive action towards the maintenance and improvement of the health and functional ability of older people. Life in later years can often be dominated by poor health, social isolation, and dependency on care which can have several significant negative consequences for older adults and society, adding further stress to an over-burdened health care system and decreasing the quality and years of life for older people around the world…

Technical report, infographic, message bank, press kit

Adult pneumonia vaccination in long-term care settings in Canada

The Mobilizing the advocacy of pneumococcal vaccination for older adults in long-term care settings in Canada initiative seeks to improve pneumococcal vaccination uptake amongst older adults and those with underlying chronic conditions in long-term care (LTC) settings in Canada. Based on the findings from the Driving the agenda of pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination in at-risk populations in community and long-term care project, there was a need to address low pneumococcal vaccination uptake rates amongst this population and the gaps in the lack of clear directives and policies for Canadian LTC settings…

Brochure, Factsheet, Technical report, consensus statement, Press release, Webinar

AV-HCP ECHO program learning series

The global ageing population is expected to increase from 9.4% in 2020 to 16% in 2050. In the context of healthy ageing and a life course approach to immunization, older persons are a rapidly growing population at risk for serious complications and death associated with infectious diseases. Parallel to the process of ageing is the increasing vulnerability to infectious diseases for those with noncommunicable diseases…

ECHO report, technical report, infographic, press kit

Adult vaccination advocacy toolkit (AVAT)

The Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit responds to an urgent call from stakeholders and advocacy groups to influence and shape adult vaccination policy. The Toolkit is a collection of authoritative and adaptable resources designed around four key policy issues: vaccine pathways, expansion of the pool of vaccine administrators, effective targeted adult vaccination campaigns, and an environment that strives for vaccination equality…

Report, social media toolkit, webinars

Adult vaccination education program: Understanding (person) patient experiences ECHO

Vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older people and those with chronic conditions who are at high-risk of serious complications from infection. Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions and a key component of healthy ageing. Despite clear evidence in support of the value of adult vaccination, the uptake rates remain suboptimal among older adults globally…

Modules, Hub members

Previous IFA News and resources

Shingles Awareness Week

by Bruna Swerts | Feb 1, 2023

Shingles Awareness Week is a global opportunity to encourage candid conversations about the debilitating complications of the disease that can rob people from enjoying precious life moments. The campaign theme this year is ‘press play on your moment, not the virus that causes shingles’. Save the date, and make sure to follow your preferred IFA social media channel.