Following the recommended adult vaccine schedule helps you keep track of which shots you need to have updated and which ones can benefit you as you get older.

Story by: Alex Welch on September 9, 2021

Following the recommended adult vaccine schedule helps you keep track of which shots you need to have updated and which ones can benefit you as you get older.

If you choose to skip a vaccine, there is an added layer of risk that you could become ill and spread the illness to others who may be immunocompromised. No vaccine is 100% effective at stopping illness, but vaccines are your best defense in preventing serious illness.

Choosing not to vaccinate can have a dramatic impact on you, your family and your community. In the last decade, preventable outbreaks of diseases have risen dramatically.

“As we’ve been experiencing with COVID-19, vaccines work best when everyone does their part,” said Monalisa Tailor, M.D., internal medicine physician at Norton Community Medical Associates – Barret.

Recommended immunizations for adults

• COVID-19: One series for those age 12 and older. Booster per Food and Drug Administration guidance.
• Influenza: Annually in late summer or early fall; even an early winter flu shot can help.
• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis: one dose with a booster (Tdap): every 10 years. If you are pregnant or have been wounded, discuss receiving another dose with your health care provider.
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): one dose if born before 1957, two doses at least four weeks apart if born after 1957.
• Varicella (chickenpox): two doses at least four weeks apart if born after 1980. two more doses upon turning 65 if you are at risk of infection. Discuss with your provider to determine if you potentially could be exposed.
• Zoster (shingles) recombinant: two doses two to six months apart after age 50.
• Human papillomavirus: two or three doses spread out over five or six months depending on age of initial vaccination or condition. Discuss with your provider to determine if you should receive another course from 27 to 45 years of age.
• Pneumococcal vaccination against the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria: Ages 65 or older: One dose for ages 65 or older. If you got the vaccine before age 65, get a second dose at least five years after the first.
• Hepatitis A: Two-dose series regardless of risk, if desired, after age 19.
• Hepatitis B: Two or three doses after age 19 depending on the vaccination you receive.
• Meningococcal A, C, W, Y: One or two doses after age 19 if you are at risk.
• Meningococcal B: Patients ages 19 to 23 should discuss risk level with your provider. If you are 24 or older, two or three doses depending on the vaccination you receive and your risk level.
• Haemophilus influenza type B: One or three doses after age 19 depending on your risk factors.

Cost

Vaccinations are covered by Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), and insurance plans purchased through the health insurance marketplace. Medicare covers vaccinations for the flu, hepatitis B and pneumococcal disease. If you do not have health insurance, the state health department can direct you to low cost or free vaccination sites. If you have commercial health insurance, check with your provider about the cost.