Adults Need Their Shots, Too

While children have a standard vaccine schedule well-known to pediatricians and parents, there is no fixed schedule for adult vaccinations. “Adult immunization was a neglected area of medical management. It’s just not as ingrained for adults as it is for children,” says John Shanley, MD, an infectious disease expert at UConn Health Center in Farmington.

As a result, adults are about 100 times more likely to die from vaccine-preventable diseases than kids, according to the American Society of Internal Medicine. “The flu and pneumonia kill thousands of people in this country every year even though there are safe and effective vaccines for both diseases,” says Dr Shanley.

In recent years, the Center for Disease Control and the American College of Physicians have begun to step up their efforts to highlight the importance of immunizations for adults, according to Shanley. The organizations recommend the following immunizations for adults:

*Flu. The influenza vaccine is 70 to 90 percent effective in preventing the flu. Adults over 50, especially those over 65, should get a flu shot every year.

*Pneumonia. The vaccine is about 60 percent effective in preventing pneumococcal infections. Adults, especially those over 65, should get a shot every year.

*Tetanus. Many people know they need a tetanus shot if they are cut with a rusty nail, but few realize the disease can be contracted in other ways. Puncture wounds of any kind can be infected with tetanus. Adults should get a booster shot every ten years.

*Diphtheria. Immunization against this bacterial infection is usually given in combination with the tetanus-pertussis vaccine. For adults who have been immunized, a booster should be given every ten years.

*Chicken pox. Adults who never had chicken pox should get the varicella vaccine. The disease, which is relatively mild in kids, can be very serious in adults.

*Measles, mumps, and rubella. Adults who never had these diseases as a child should be immunized. In recent years, health officials have begun to recommend a measles booster shot for young adults who were immunized as children.

*Hepatitis. There is a safe and effective vaccine for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, infectious liver diseases. As part of a national campaign to eradicate transmission of Hepatitis B in this country, infants are routinely immunized against Hepatitis B, and most states now require immunization for adolescents. Adults who get the vaccine can protect themselves from the disease, which can be spread by infected persons who have no symptoms.

Adults should keep a record of their immunizations and periodically check with their physicians to make sure they are up to date.