We all remember dreading doctor’s appointments as kids, because we never knew when we were due for a scheduled vaccination. As adults, we can still lose track of which recommended vaccines we need and when, unless we have a good healthcare provider to remind us.
The schedule of vaccine recommendations is confusing to keep up with, no matter how organized you are—there are certain vaccines we get in childhood that require boosters later, others that don’t, and some boosters that depend on our health conditions, lifestyle, and travel habits. There are also different recommended vaccines by age. Some are designed primarily for adolescents/young adults, and others primarily for older adults. The basic reason for this is actually much simpler than trying to read through the vaccine recommendations themselves.
“Adult vaccines are recommended at different stages in life because your immune system naturally weakens as you age, making you more susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases,” says Dr. Seth Cohen, MD, medical director of infection Prevention at the University of Washington Medical Center. “In your younger years, vaccines are designed to protect against diseases you’re commonly exposed to during school, travel, or new social environments—such as the HPV vaccine in your 20s. As you reach your 40s and 50s, age-related declines in the immune system make you more vulnerable to illnesses like shingles and pneumonia, which can be more severe—even life-threatening—in older adults. Ultimately, it’s about giving your immune system the right tools at the right time to defend your health.”
While there’s a general adult immunization schedule provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keep in mind that which vaccines you receive—and when—still depends on your personal health profile; there are health conditions, from pregnancy to chronic disease, that may put you at higher risk and lead your healthcare provider to recommend certain vaccines. “It’s important to consider specific risk factors and co-morbidities that may require adults to get additional vaccinations,” Dr. Cohen says. “For example, individuals with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic liver disease, or a weakened immune system may require additional vaccines.”
Also worth noting: When it comes to recommended annual vaccines against seasonal viruses, like the Covid-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine, the urgency to stay on schedule increases with age. “When you reach middle and older age, the flu can become a more serious and life-threatening condition,” explains Dr. Bobby Dubois, MD, PhD, an internal medicine physician, scientist, and wellness doctor/podcaster. “For someone in their 20s or 30s, the flu is temporarily very bothersome, but rarely life-threatening. Someone in their 30s might choose not to get the flu vaccine, assuming that if they get ill, it won’t be too bad. However, someone in their 70s getting the flu is much more serious. The 70-year-old may be far more motivated to get the yearly flu shot. For me personally, the benefits certainly outweigh the risk of a sore arm and potentially mild ‘cold-like’ symptoms.”
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