A summary of presentations from the weekly Summit partner webinars
March 26, 2026
Chronic Illness and Vaccine Prevention – Sara Y. Tartof, PhD, MPH, Epidemiologist/Research Scientist, Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research and Evaluation; Professor, Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Sara Y. Tartof, PhD, MPH, summarized her research, which found that COVID-19 carries a higher risk of severe post-acute sequelae (PAS) than influenza, but vaccination and antiviral treatment may attenuate the risk in both types of infection.
Association Between Shingles Vaccination and Slower Biological Aging: Evidence from a Population-Based Study – Eileen M. Crimmins, PhD, University Professor University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, AARP Chair in Gerontology; Co-Director, Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology PhD Program; Co-Director, USC/University of California, Los Angeles Center on Biodemography and Population Health
Eileen M. Crimmins, PhD, summarized research confirming that shingles (specifically the now discontinued Zostavax®) vaccination slows aging and protects against dementia but does not appear to have an effect on cardiovascular health.