If you thought you were done with getting vaccinations, think again. Some vaccinations only require one shot as a child, but others are more ongoing. Some vaccines were only introduced in more recent years and also require your attention.
Adults should follow an immunization schedule to keep up on all their needed vaccinations. Work with family practice doctors near you to create such a schedule and to determine which immunizations you need.
To get you started, here are the latest recommended vaccinations you should receive as an adult according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Influenza
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older should have a flu shot once a year. Generally this is during the fall or early winter months when flu season is hitting its stride. Since the flu virus evolves every year, it’s important that you don’t miss getting this shot. Adults over 65, pregnant women and those with chronic health issues are especially encouraged to get this shot yearly.
Tdap/Td
The Tdap vaccine helps protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
Pregnant mothers should receive a Tdap vaccination during each of their pregnancies. However anyone over the age of 11 should also receive a Tdap shot if they have not already received one, especially if they will be coming in contact with an infant. Every 10 years you should schedule to get an additional Td booster.
MMR
This immunization helps protect against three very contagious diseases: measles, mumps and rubella. If you haven’t gotten this vaccination in its two doses, it should be one you get if your birthday falls after 1957. But the CDC recommends that adults working in a health care setting, traveling abroad or who are students at a postsecondary educational institution should all receive this vaccination as well.
HPV
Human papillomaviruses can cause throat, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile and anal cancer, as well as genital warts. The general age to get vaccinated for this virus is before 26 for women and 21-26 for men. A complete dosage of the vaccination consists of 3 separate shots. Pregnant women should avoid this vaccination until after their pregnancy.
Chickenpox
Children nowadays get this vaccination early on, but if you haven’t yet received this immunization, there’s no time like the present. The two-part chickenpox vaccine is recommended for all ages, but pregnant women should wait until after their pregnancy for this shot.
Pneumococcal
Certain health risk factors like chronic disease may make the pneumococcal vaccination more of a priority for you to get. But generally, this immunization is for those 65 years old to fight off bacterial infections that can lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis. It consists of two vaccines, the PCV13 and PPSV23. If you have a weak immune system or suffer from a chronic illness, talk with your doctor about if you should receive this vaccination before you turn 65.
Zoster
This is another vaccination you probably won’t need to get until later in your life. The zoster vaccine is recommended if you are over 60 years old. This immunization protects against shingles, which affects nearly 1 million Americans each year. The zoster virus comes from the same virus as chickenpox. But even if you have been vaccinated for or had chickenpox, you should still also get the zoster vaccine.
Other Recommended Vaccinations
Depending on your lifestyle, employment and current medical condition, you may need to have other vaccinations along with the ones listed above.
Those who work in health care facilities, travel internationally or have certain chronic illnesses especially need some of these additional immunizations, such as the Hepatitis A and B, Hib and Meningococcal vaccines.
For residents of St. George, contact us at Callahan Clinic when it’s time for your next vaccination. Check with our family practice physicians about which vaccinations you may need and how to set up a vaccination schedule for future immunizations.
Sources:
1) https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-schedule-easy-read.pdf
2) http://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/immunizations/adult-immunization-schedule.pdf
3) https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
4) https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/index.html