Vaccines aren’t just for kids. Grown-ups benefit from immunizations, too. These shots help protect adults against preventable diseases.
Influenza Vaccine. Available as early as July or August—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends nearly all adults, as well as children older than 6 months, get an annual flu vaccine.
Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine. First-time Tdap vaccinations and TD boosters are approved for all adults. Pertussis (whooping cough) prevention is especially important if you spend time with children 12 months and younger or if you have a compromised immune system. Women should receive a Tdap vaccination during every pregnancy. Talk with your physician about individual recommendations.
Shingles Vaccine. Shingles is a painful condition caused by varicella zoster, the virus that causes chickenpox. The CDC recommends two doses of shingles vaccine at age 50, or younger depending on your medical history.
Pneumococcal Vaccine. All people ages 65 and older and anyone with certain health conditions, such as diabetes, should receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), which combined protect against 36 different disease-causing pneumococcal bacteria.
