Vaccines for Adults

Vaccines for Adults

Vaccinations are not just for kids. Because the immunity your body builds from certain vaccines can wear off over time, it’s important to stay up to date on certain vaccines, including:

  • Annual flu (influenza) vaccine
  • Tdap, Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)

The Best Vaccines for You and Your Lifestyle

You could also be at risk for other vaccine-preventable diseases due to your age, occupation, lifestyle, travel preferences, and/or health conditions. For example, depending on where you plan to travel, you may need to consider an MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) booster as well as vaccines for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, shingles, and even rabies. Furthermore, if you’re an adult with a chronic condition such as diabetes, heart disease or stroke, Renal disease, HIV, Lung diseases such as asthma or COPD, you may be more prone to developing complications from certain diseases.

How Vaccines Work

There are two ways to protect our bodies from disease. Both ways involve direct exposure to the disease, which allows our immune systems to build resistance against the invading germs. The first, more potentially dangerous way to expose your immune system is to get sick from the disease. The second and safest route is through vaccines.

Vaccines allow your body to naturally develop immunity to diseases without becoming sick. They include special molecules called antigens that stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies in the same way it would if you were exposed to the disease itself. Many adult vaccines can help protect you from developing diseases as you age, such as shingles, measles, and more. Vaccines produce immunity about 90 - 99 percent of the time.

Paying for Vaccines

Vaccines: One of Your Best Shots at Staying Healthy

No one wants to get sick and even face a life-threatening complication, especially from a disease that is easily prevented through a vaccine. Take the CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool to determine which vaccines you may need and ask your doctor about getting up to date. Use this adult vaccine record to keep track of what important vaccines you may need and when.