Adult Immunization
Ten Important Facts for Older Adults to Know about Vaccines
- Because
most cases of tetanus and diphtheria occur in adults, ALL adults should receive a booster
shot every 10 years.
- People
who travel outside the U.S. should review their immunization records to determine which
vaccines are necessary: yellow fever, measles, hepatitis A and B, and tetanus/diphtheria.
- Each
year up to 60,000 adults, many 65 or older, die of preventable diseases (flu, pneumonia,
and hepatitis B). All people 65 or older should receive flu and pneumonia vaccines. People
who are in certain high risk groups should also receive hepatitis B.
- Pneumonia
and flu, together, are the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. Most of
these deaths occur in people 65 or older.
- Flu
vaccine can prevent up to 70 percent of hospitalizations and 85 percent of deaths from
flu-related pneumonia.
- Since
flu viruses change each year, people should get the new vaccine annually, usually in the
fall. It’s important to remember you can’t get the flu from the vaccine.
- Flu
vaccine WILL NOT protect you from other respiratory infections, such as colds and
bronchitis.
- Pneumococcal
pneumonia is the most common type of pneumonia, accounting for up to one-third of all
types of pneumonia that lead to hospitalization.
- Pneumonia
vaccine can prevent up to 60 percent of serious pneumococcal infections, but it WILL NOT
protect you from other types of pneumonia.
- Pneumonia
vaccine is usually a once-in-a-lifetime shot. Again, you cannot get pneumonia from
the vaccine.
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