Adults Need Vaccines Too! 

Immunizations are not just for kids! Whether a young adult, middle-aged adult, or senior, we ALL need immunizations to keep us healthy. The specific immunizations you need as an adult are based on several factors such as: age, lifestyle, high-risk conditions, travel and previous immunizations you have received. On this page, you will find information to help you stay up-to-date with your immunizations based on your need.

Be the Example!

Keep up-to-date with your immunizations and encourage family and friends to check with their doctors for immunizations they may need to help protect against vaccine-preventable diseases. Protecting yourself in turn protects others from getting sick, especially babies that are too young to be vaccinated. This is called “herd immunity”. When our community is highly vaccinated, the disease has a hard time spreading to others. So be the example and get vaccinated!

What Immunizations Do I Need?

Throughout your adult life, you need immunizations to get and maintain protection against:

• Seasonal influenza (flu)  – In general, anyone who is 6 months or older can benefit from the protection of  a yearly flu vaccination.
• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough)  – one booster dose for adults 19 and older is recomended;  then recieve a Td vaccine every ten years. Expectant mothers should receive a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, preferable at 27 through 36 weeks (CDC recomendations updated Jan 2013). For more information about pertussis and what you need to know visit this link.
• Shingles – for adults 50 years and older.
• Pneumococcal – for adults 65 years and older and adults with specific health conditions.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)  – for women 26 years and younger  and men 21 years and younger. Talk to your healthcare provider about your health care needs.

Some adults may not have received all of their childhood vaccines. Talk to your doctor or provider if you are unsure you have been vaccinated against: meningococcal (especially if you are going to college or are a college student living in a dorm environment) hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox (varicella), and measles, mumps and rubella.

Below is the adult immunization schedule and a booklet about adult immunizations that you can download and print. You can also visit  Vaccine Information for Adults on the CDC website to download interactive tools, watch an education video and take a vaccine quiz.