You are never too old to get vaccinated. You need vaccines throughout your life. Vaccines are not only for children, adults are also at the risk of diseases which can be prevented by vaccines.
Why One Should get Vaccinated?
Vaccination is one of the convenient, safe and recommended preventive care measures against diseases.
Vaccines have prevented diseases which have previously affected or killed babies, children and adults. People from all over the world become seriously ill or even die from the diseases which vaccination could have prevented. Adults should talk to their health care providers to stay up to date regarding the vaccines needed for them.
Over the course of time, protection from some childhood vaccines wears off, which needs to be considered by adults as to whether they need booster doses to protect themselves from infections.
Vaccine allows us to stay healthy, protects us from long hospital stays, reduces hospital expenses and avoids missed work.
Vaccine allows your body to develop antibodies which helps to fights off infections.
Vaccination protects yourself and your loved ones. It also avoids spreading of preventable diseases to other people in your community.
Some vaccine preventable diseases cause serious illness or leads to later complication or later illnesses. So, by vaccinating one gets protected against such serious illnesses or consequences from the serious illnesses.
Vaccine are one of the safest preventive measure against diseases. They do have mild side effects like fever, body ache, swelling which are very rare and it goes away on its own within few days.
Vaccine are required for people travelling, health care providers, students, military personnel.
These people need to get vaccinated against the diseases that circulate in their area to protect themselves from serious illness. Health care providers who are at the risk of catching and spreading diseases also needs to be vaccinated.
Vaccination also reduce the total economic cost. The total economic cost of treating adults infected with vaccine preventable diseases exceed 10 billion dollars a year in United states alone. Disease outbreak requires the involvement of health professionals, financial resources to control the outbreaks.
Factors Affecting Vaccine Recommendation:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccine for adults based on:
- Age
- Prior Vaccination
- Health Condition
- Lifestyle
- Occupation
- Travel Destination
Which Vaccines adult should take:
Vaccine - preventable diseases cause illness, long hospital stays and even death.
The vaccines that all adults need are as under:
|
Sr. No. |
Name of the Vaccine |
Disease Prevented |
When to take |
Schedule |
|
1. |
COVID-19 |
Coronavirus Disease 2019 |
Age 5 years and older |
Two doses few months apart and one booster dose |
|
2. |
Influenza (Flu) |
Influenza-viral infection |
All age groups (Children above 6 months) Yearly in flu season |
One dose every flu season |
|
3. |
Hepatitis B |
Hepatitis |
1) At birth 2) 6-18 months of age 3) Younger than 19 years who have not received the vaccine 4) Adults who were not vaccinated |
2,3 or 4 shots |
|
4. |
Human Papilloma Virus |
Cervical cancers |
1) 9-15 years 2) At age 15 through 26 |
1) 2 doses – 6 months apart (9-15 years) 2) 3 doses (after 15 years) |
|
5. |
Pneumococcal vaccine |
Pneumonia |
Adults |
1 dose – PCV15or PCV 20 If PCV15 used- second dose of PPSV23-after a gap of 8 weeks -1 year If PCV20 used-no second dose needed. |
|
6. |
Shingles |
Shingles-skin infection |
Once in a lifetime |
Two doses at 2-6 months apart |
|
7. |
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) |
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis |
1) 11-12 years 2) Pregnancy |
One dose -11-12 years One dose - Pregnancy Booster dose- Every 10 years |
Adults need to consult their health care provider or local health department regarding their immunization status.
Adult Vaccination Record:
This is also called as immunization record. It provides the history of all the vaccines taken received as a child and adult. These records may be required for certain jobs, travel abroad and also school admission. Adults can find their vaccination record from their health care providers or health care providers will do blood tests to check whether you are immune to certain vaccine preventable diseases.
Lessons from Covid: Adult vaccinations is gaining prominence
Health expert authorities like WHO, CDC and IMA have warmed up to the idea of adult vaccination against non-covid infections like pneumonia, flu and shingles.
Summing up, at least 25% of about 60 million deaths that occur worldwide each year is due to infectious diseases, so it is our personal and social responsibility to get vaccinated.
To know more about adult vaccination, consult your Doctor or book a free consultation with expert counsellors at INVC.
Source:
1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2) Business Standard December 05, 2022
3) www.ncbi.nlm.nih
4) www.cdc.gov
