Vaccines Are Not Just for Kids
When most people think about vaccinations, they think about childhood immunizations. But the reality is that adults need vaccines throughout their lives. Immunity from some childhood vaccines wanes over time, new vaccines have been developed for diseases that primarily affect older adults, and some adults never received certain vaccines in childhood.
Despite this, adult vaccination rates remain alarmingly low. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than half of adults are up to date on recommended immunizations. At Zimmer Medical Group, we review your vaccination status at every annual physical to make sure you are protected.
Shingles Vaccine (Shingrix): Age 50 and Older
What Is Shingles?
Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in your nerve cells and can reactivate decades later, causing a painful, blistering rash that typically appears in a band on one side of the body.
Approximately one in three Americans will develop shingles during their lifetime. The risk increases significantly with age, and the consequences can be severe, particularly a complication called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which causes burning nerve pain that can last months or even years after the rash resolves.
The Vaccine
Shingrix is a recombinant (non-live) vaccine given in two doses, two to six months apart. It is recommended for all adults aged 50 and older, regardless of whether they have had shingles before or received the older shingles vaccine (Zostavax).
Shingrix is remarkably effective:
- Over 90 percent effective at preventing shingles in adults 50 and older
- Over 85 percent effective in adults 70 and older
- Approximately 90 percent effective at preventing postherpetic neuralgia
Side effects are common but temporary: sore arm, muscle pain, fatigue, and headache lasting one to three days. These side effects reflect the strong immune response the vaccine generates.
Pneumococcal Vaccines: Protecting Against Pneumonia and More
Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and can lead to pneumonia, bloodstream infections (bacteremia), and meningitis. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions are at highest risk for severe disease.
Current Recommendations
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends pneumococcal vaccination for:
- All adults 65 and older
- Adults 19 to 64 with certain risk factors: chronic heart, lung, or liver disease; diabetes; alcoholism; smoking; cerebrospinal fluid leaks; cochlear implants; immunocompromising conditions; or sickle cell disease
The preferred regimen for most adults is a single dose of PCV20 (Prevnar 20), which covers 20 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. For those who have already received PCV13 (Prevnar 13), a dose of PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23) is recommended if not previously given.
If you are unsure of your pneumococcal vaccination history, your doctor can review your records and determine what you need.
RSV Vaccine: Age 60 and Older
A New Tool Against a Common Threat
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has long been recognized as a serious threat to infants, but it also causes significant illness in older adults. RSV leads to an estimated 60,000 to 160,000 hospitalizations and 6,000 to 10,000 deaths among adults 65 and older in the United States each year.
RSV vaccines (Arexvy and Abrysvo) were approved for adults 60 and older beginning in 2023. The ACIP recommends shared clinical decision-making between patients and their healthcare providers about RSV vaccination for adults aged 60 and older, with a particular focus on those at highest risk:
- Adults 75 and older
- Adults 60 and older with chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes, or weakened immune systems
- Adults living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities
A single dose is currently recommended and provides protection for at least two RSV seasons.
Tdap and Td Boosters: Every 10 Years
Why Boosters Matter
Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines do not provide lifelong immunity. Protection wanes over time, which is why booster doses are needed throughout adulthood.
Recommendations
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis): All adults should receive one dose of Tdap if they have not previously had it, regardless of when their last Td booster was given. Tdap is especially important for anyone who will be in close contact with infants, as pertussis can be fatal in newborns.
- Td or Tdap booster: Every 10 years thereafter. Either Td or Tdap can be used for the booster.
- Wound management: If you sustain a deep, dirty wound and it has been more than five years since your last tetanus-containing vaccine, a booster is recommended.
Annual Flu Vaccine
Influenza is not just a bad cold. Each year, the flu causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. The virus changes (mutates) each year, which is why a new vaccine is formulated and recommended annually.
Who Should Get It?
Everyone aged six months and older, but it is particularly important for:
- Adults 65 and older (who should receive the high-dose or adjuvanted vaccine for stronger protection)
- Adults with chronic medical conditions (heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease)
- Pregnant women
- Healthcare workers and caregivers
The best time to get your flu vaccine is September or October, before flu season peaks.
Updated COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccination recommendations continue to evolve as the virus changes and new vaccine formulations become available. The CDC recommends that all adults stay up to date with the most current COVID-19 vaccine, which is updated to target circulating variants.
Updated vaccines are particularly important for:
- Adults 65 and older
- Immunocompromised individuals
- Those with chronic medical conditions
- Healthcare workers
Check with your doctor or the CDC website for the most current recommendations regarding timing and eligibility.
Hepatitis B Vaccine: For Unvaccinated Adults
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to chronic infection, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. While most adults born in the United States after 1991 were vaccinated as children, many older adults were not.
Who Should Be Vaccinated?
The CDC now recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all adults aged 19 to 59, and for adults 60 and older with risk factors including:
- Healthcare workers
- People with chronic liver disease, hepatitis C, or HIV
- People with diabetes
- Sexual partners of hepatitis B-positive individuals
- People who inject drugs
- Travelers to countries with high hepatitis B rates
The standard series is three doses (at 0, 1, and 6 months), though a two-dose option (Heplisav-B, given one month apart) is also available for adults.
HPV Vaccine: For Adults Up to Age 45
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical, throat, anal, and penile cancers, as well as genital warts. The HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) is routinely recommended for adolescents at age 11 or 12, but adults who were not vaccinated can receive it up to age 45 through shared clinical decision-making with their provider.
The vaccine is most effective when given before HPV exposure, but it can still provide benefit for adults who have not been infected with all the HPV strains covered by the vaccine. Adults aged 27 to 45 should discuss the potential benefits with their doctor based on their individual risk.
Keeping Track of Your Vaccinations
Many adults are unsure which vaccines they have received. Here are strategies for staying on top of your immunization status:
- Ask your doctor to review your records at your annual physical
- Check your state immunization registry, which tracks vaccines administered by participating providers
- Keep a personal vaccination record and update it after each dose
- When in doubt, revaccinate. For most vaccines, receiving an extra dose is safe and preferable to being unprotected
A Simple Step with Lasting Protection
Vaccines are among the most effective tools in medicine. They prevent suffering, hospitalization, and death from diseases that are entirely avoidable. If you are not sure whether you are up to date, now is the time to find out.
Not sure which vaccines you need? Contact Zimmer Medical Group to schedule an appointment and review your immunization status. Staying current on vaccinations is one of the simplest and most impactful things you can do for your health.
