ADULTS
Vaccines have done a great job at reducing or eliminating many infectious diseases that used to cause devastating sickness in infants, children and adults. As you get older, the protection from some vaccines you may have received as a child will begin to wear off. You may also be at more risk for diseases due to your job, your lifestyle or other health conditions.
Vaccination is one of the most convenient and safest preventive care measures you can take for yourself. Getting the recommended vaccine as an adult helps provide continuing protection from disease that can cause you to become seriously ill or hospitalized.
Why should I get vaccinated?
Protect yourself and your loved ones.
Vaccines lower your chance of getting certain diseases by helping your body safely develop immunity. If you do get sick, vaccines lower your risk of suffering from complications of disease by increasing your body’s ability to fight the infection.
Vaccines also lower your chance of spreading disease to others around you. Some of your friends or loved ones may not be able to receive vaccines themselves due to their health condition. When healthy adults receive vaccines, it helps protect the whole community against the spread of serious diseases.
Save time and money.
Vaccines help keep you healthy, so you don’t have to miss work, your children’s activities or gatherings with your family. And so you have more time to do the things you enjoy!
It can also be very costly to get sick. Even with insurance, medical bills can add up quickly if you become seriously ill, hospitalized or disabled due to disease.
What are vaccines?
Vaccines use very small amounts of antigens to help your immune system recognize diseases and learn to fight them. Antigens include any substance that causes the body’s immune system to respond and go to work fighting the virus.
Vaccines are safe and effective for adults. By following your immunization schedule and getting vaccinated as recommended by your healthcare provider, you can protect yourself from serious vaccine-preventable diseases.
Which vaccines do I need as an adult?
The vaccines listed below are generally recommended for adults, but needs may vary by person. Talk with your healthcare provider about what vaccines you may need.
A respiratory virus spread through the air by coughing, sneezing, talking or from surfaces that have the virus on them. The flu affects each person differently and symptoms vary. LEARN MORE
A disease named for any infection caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus. These illnesses have varying symptoms and range from ear and sinus infections to pneumonia and bloodstream infections. LEARN MORE
An illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After having chickenpox, the virus stays in the body and can cause Shingles later in life. It develops as a skin rash, usually with blisters and can cause fever, headache, chills and upset stomach. LEARN MORE
A vaccine that protects against two or three serious diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (whooping cough).
- Tetanus – A bacterial disease that enters through deep cuts and puncture wounds. It can cause headaches and spasms in the jaw muscles, leading to lockjaw. LEARN MORE
- Diphtheria – A disease caused by bacteria that live in an infected person’s mouth or throat, spread through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms can include a sore throat or fever, and it may cause difficulty breathing. LEARN MORE
- Acellular Pertussis (Whooping Cough) – A highly contagious disease caused by bacteria spread through the air. It can cause violent coughing spells that can affect eating, drinking and breathing. LEARN MORE
When do I get vaccinated as an adult?
Healthcare Provider Immunization Schedules: Includes comprehensive, detailed schedules for all age groups.
Simplified Immunization Schedules: Also known as “easy to read” or “audience friendly” schedules, these documents are meant to help patients and families better understand recommendations, immunizations, and vaccine-preventable diseases.
Determine your vaccine needs through this short vaccine assessment tool: