Key takeaways:
Our immune systems aren’t as robust as we get older, putting us at risk for serious illness. This is why certain vaccines are recommended after you turn 50 and 65 years old. And other vaccines are recommended on a specific schedule throughout adulthood.
Several illnesses that affect older people can be prevented through vaccination. Examples include shingles and pneumococcal disease.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re unsure which vaccines you need based on your age and medical conditions.
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Vaccines are an important part of preventative healthcare for adults. Compared with the vaccines you get as a child, the adult vaccine schedule is a bit simpler. But making sure you are up to date on all of your vaccines is still extremely important. The bottom line is that vaccines save lives.
The vaccines recommended in adulthood protect you from several preventable illnesses and their complications, including long-term nerve pain from shingles that can impact your quality of life. And even if you’re someone who doesn’t get sick very often, your risk of experiencing a serious illness goes up as you get older.
Think of vaccines as another tool to help keep you on the best track through adulthood.
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines work by causing your immune system to create antibodies (infection fighters) that target a specific type of virus or bacteria. If you are exposed to a bug that you are vaccinated against, you’re already prepared to fight it. This makes you less likely to develop an infection, get seriously sick, or die from it.
After you receive a vaccine, you may not feel well during the hours that follow. But dealing with the side effects for a day or two after a vaccine may save you from getting really sick in the future.
Why do I need to get vaccinated as an adult?
As you get older, your immune system doesn’t respond as well to an infection, and it can take longer for you to get better. This can put you at higher risk of getting seriously ill, ending up in the hospital, or dying from a preventable infection. Because of this, adults need to continue to be vaccinated for illnesses that can make them sick.
Below, we discuss some common reasons why adults need to keep up with vaccinations.
Viruses can change
As viruses spread, they can mutate (change) and result in new strains or variants that don’t respond as well to our current vaccines. For example, the influenza (flu) virus frequently changes. This is why you need to get your flu shot every year to make sure you’re protected against the strains that are circulating each season.
Your level of protection goes down over time
Some vaccines protect you against a disease for life. But others need additional doses called “boosters” to keep you protected as your immunity goes down over time. Most of your booster doses are given during childhood. However, you still need to get tetanus boosters every 10 years as an adult.
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New vaccines become available
As new vaccines are developed, you may be advised to get them as an adult, especially if they protect you against a new or serious disease. A few examples include the COVID-19, monkeypox, and Ebola vaccines.
Vaccines are sometimes required for travel
If you are traveling overseas, you may need to get travel vaccines (like yellow fever) to protect you from diseases that are more common in other countries.
New risks as you get older
As you get older, you’re at higher risk for certain diseases. Luckily, vaccines are available to protect you from a few of them and lower your likelihood of getting seriously ill. It’s important to stay up to date with these vaccinations to help keep you healthy.
What vaccines are recommended for adults?
There are several vaccines recommended for adults. These include vaccines that are routinely recommended when you meet age requirements and those given in special circumstances.
Routine adult vaccines
Adults are routinely vaccinated against the following diseases:
Influenza (flu)
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Pneumococcal disease — routine for adults 65 and older
Diphtheria (given with tetanus vaccine)
Vaccines recommended in special circumstances
In some cases, you may be advised to get certain vaccines if you have specific underlying conditions or if you work or live in an environment that raises your infection risk.
Although several of these vaccines are given during childhood, you may be advised to get them if your vaccine history is unknown or incomplete.
Under special circumstances, adults may be vaccinated against the following diseases outside of the routine vaccine schedule:
Pneumococcal disease — only given to certain adults under age 65
Varicella (chickenpox)
Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib)
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Rubella (German measles)
Adults who have weakened immune systems due to certain cancers, medication use, or other underlying conditions may have specific vaccine recommendations.
Vaccines for young adults
Adulthood comes with a lot of new responsibilities, and keeping up with your vaccinations is an important part of being out on your own.
It’s recommended that all eligible people receive the flu shot every year. And unless you have specific allergies or health conditions, you can receive any of the available flu vaccine options until you turn 50 years old. Your options may be slightly more limited after that.
Below, we detail a few other vaccines that you’ll need to know about as you enter adulthood.
Tetanus vaccine
All adults should receive the tetanus vaccine every 10 years. It isn’t a very common infection, but the people who get it tend to be those who never received the vaccine during childhood or didn’t keep up with their boosters as adults.
There are two forms of the tetanus vaccine that adults may receive:
Tdap: protects you against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough
Td: protects you against tetanus and diphtheria
It’s important to keep up with your boosters in case you get an injury that puts you at risk for tetanus. But if you get a risky injury and you’ve missed getting your routine tetanus vaccine, you may receive a dose urgently while getting your wound treated.
You’ll also need to get a dose of the Tdap vaccine (with whooping cough coverage) if you plan to visit a newborn baby. This helps protect the baby from developing severe illness or dying from whooping cough until they’re fully vaccinated against it.
HPV vaccine
People tend to associate HPV with genital warts. But the vaccine can also help prevent certain types of cancer caused by the virus.
Most people get the HPV vaccine when they are children so they’ll be protected if exposed to the virus later in life. But if you didn’t get the HPV vaccine as a child, you may want to get the vaccine as an adult. However, the recommendations differ based on your age.
18 to 26 years old: Everyone in this age group who isn’t fully vaccinated should receive HPV vaccination.
27 to 45 years old: Discuss your risk factors with your healthcare provider and make a decision together about whether you could benefit from HPV vaccination.
Over 45 years old: The HPV vaccine is not recommended if you are over 45 years old.
Pneumococcal vaccine
In adulthood, the pneumococcal vaccine is normally given after you turn 65 years old. But younger adults who have certain chronic conditions or other risk factors may decide with their healthcare provider that they should receive it. Examples include:
Alcohol misuse
Heart disease
Liver disease
Lung disease
Diabetes
People who currently smoke
The specific pneumococcal vaccine you receive and when you should receive it may depend on your vaccination history.
Vaccines at age 50
Once you turn 50 years old, it’s recommended that you get the shingles vaccine. It’s over 90% effective at preventing shingles, a painful rash that can sometimes result in long-term nerve pain, eye problems, and even death. It’s also a very common infection — affecting 1 out of every 3 people in the U.S.
Even though younger people can also get shingles, your risk of complications goes up as you get older. That’s why it’s important to get the vaccine to keep you protected and prevent future occurrences if you’ve had shingles before.
After turning 50 years old, you should continue getting your flu vaccine every year. But your vaccine options depend on your age. People ages 50 and older can no longer receive the nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist), which contains a live, weakened form of the flu virus.
Vaccines at and after age 60
The main vaccines recommended for seniors are the COVID, flu, pneumococcal, and RSV vaccines. The tetanus vaccine is also recommended in older adults every 10 years, just like with younger adults. And if you haven’t received the shingles vaccine yet, there’s still time to get it.
High-dose flu vaccine
For people ages 65 and older, there’s also a high-dose flu vaccine you can receive that’s more potent than the regular flu vaccine. It’s designed to trigger a stronger immune response in older people. This is important because, when given vaccines, older adults make fewer antibodies than younger adults.
Pneumococcal vaccine
After you turn 65 years old, it’s recommended that you get at least one dose of the pneumococcal vaccine. There are two different types of pneumococcal vaccines. Which vaccine you receive will depend on your vaccination history. This will help protect you against pneumococcal disease, including certain types of pneumonia.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
In 2023, the FDA approved the first RSV vaccines: Arexvy and Abrysvo. RSV vaccination hasn’t been added to the adult vaccine schedule yet. But the CDC recommends a single RSV vaccine dose for adults ages 60 and older who decide with their provider that it’s right for them.
Vaccines for special populations
In addition to the routine vaccination schedule, certain groups of people may have additional recommendations because of special health conditions or risks.
Pregnant women
Vaccines are important in pregnancy to protect the pregnant woman, as well as the baby for a period of time after birth. In particular, it’s recommended to get a whooping cough vaccine and a flu vaccine during each pregnancy.
Whooping cough
This infection causes a coughing illness that can be particularly dangerous for babies under 12 months old. If you get the whooping cough vaccine while you’re pregnant, some of your antibodies will pass to your fetus. This gives them some short-term protection against the disease after birth.
Influenza (flu)
The flu virus can be particularly dangerous for both pregnant women and infants. Getting the flu vaccine is one of the best ways to protect yourself from serious illness during your pregnancy. You’ll also pass some flu antibodies to the fetus to protect them for their first few months of life. This is important because infants can’t receive their first flu vaccine until they are 6 months old.
Keep in mind: If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t receive the nasal spray vaccine. Instead, you’ll need to get the flu shot that contains an inactivated (dead) virus.
Immunocompromised people
Several illnesses and medications can cause your immune system not to work as well. This can put you at higher risk of getting seriously sick if you get infected with a germ. This is referred to as being “immunocompromised.”
In addition to adults ages 65 and older and people with certain risk factors, the pneumococcal vaccine is also recommended for certain people who are immunocompromised. This includes anyone with the following health conditions or treatments that affect the immune system:
HIV
Kidney disease
Blood cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma
Cancer that needs to be treated with chemotherapy or has spread to a different part of your body (metastasized)
Immunodeficiency diseases
Organ (such as kidney or liver) transplant
Stem cell transplant
Long-term medications that weaken your immune system (such as steroids)
There are also a few vaccines that you’ll need to avoid if you’re severely immunocompromised, including:
Live vaccines (like the nasal spray for flu)
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
Varicella (chickenpox)
Getting vaccinated
There are several places that you can go to get vaccinated. A good place to start is checking with your primary healthcare provider. Either they can give you the vaccine at their office or clinic, or they can refer you to another vaccine provider — like your local pharmacy or state health department. For travel vaccines, you can search for travel clinics in your area.
And if you’re getting any of your routine vaccinations at a pharmacy, GoodRx can help make them more affordable. In fact, you can use free GoodRx discounts on vaccines.
Common concerns
It’s understandable to have questions or concerns about vaccines. Below, we answer a few common questions.
The bottom line
Keeping up with your vaccinations through adulthood is one of the best ways to protect yourself from preventable diseases that can cause serious illness as you get older. Getting vaccinated against common diseases ━ like shingles ━ can protect you against the disease itself, as well as potentially serious complications.
Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions about what vaccines you need based on your age or medical conditions. Your provider and pharmacist are also good resources if you’re hesitant about getting vaccinated and have concerns about vaccine safety, side effects, and effectiveness.
Why trust our experts?
References
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Vaccines during and after pregnancy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Chiceknpox (varicella).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Diphtheria.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Haemophilus influenzae disease (including hib).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV)/nasal spray vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Pneumococcal disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Rubella (german measles, three-day measles).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Tetanus.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). About shingles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Adult immunization schedule.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). CDC recommends RSV vaccine for older adults.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Pertussis (whooping cough): Clinical features.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Pneumococcal vaccination: Summary of who and when to vaccinate.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Pneumococcal vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Shingles (herpes zoster): Burden and trends.
Cunningham, A. L., et al. (2016). Efficacy of the herpes zoster subunit vaccine in adults 70 years of age or older. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Orenstein, W. A., et al. (2017). Simply put: Vaccination saves lives. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Saguil, A., et al. (2017). Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Prevention and management. American Family Physician.
Wheeler, C. M., et al. (2016). Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the human papillomavirus 16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in women older than 25 years: 7-year follow-up of the phase 3, double-blind, randomised controlled VIVIANE study. The Lancet.
