{"id":31083,"date":"2025-07-29T05:23:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T05:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/31083\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T05:23:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T05:23:10","slug":"5-vaccines-adults-should-get-according-to-doctors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/31083\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Vaccines Adults Should Get, According to Doctors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting routine vaccines<\/a> doesn\u2019t stop once you hit adulthood. In fact, there are several vaccines experts say you should consider getting as an adult, depending on your age, medical history, and lifestyle, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These vaccines range from obvious (flu vaccines) to uncommon (shingles shots). And we asked doctors to explain everything you need to know about them: who needs them, how well they work, and any other relevant advice. Doctors say these vaccines generally have minor side effects, like headache, fatigue, and soreness\u2014and none of the side effects are worse than the conditions the vaccines prevent.<\/p>\n

Here are the five vaccines experts recommend for most adults\u2014plus a few more you need to know about.<\/p>\n

Flu (influenza)<\/p>\n

You can catch the flu<\/a> by inhaling airborne droplets spread by coughing, sneezing, talking, or even breathing. Once these droplets get into your lungs, they can cause fever, coughing, body aches, and more. In severe cases, they can also cause hospitalization and death, especially for older or immunocompromised adults.<\/p>\n

Who needs the vaccine: Anyone over 6 months old, per the CDC<\/a>\u2014especially those at high risk for flu-related complications, like pregnant women and people with asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, says Bill Schaffner, M.D.<\/a>, professor of preventive medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.<\/p>\n

How well it works: The flu shot\u2019s effectiveness<\/a> varies from year to year and lessens as the months pass, which is why you need it annually. Each spring, epidemiologists predict which flu strains will be most virulent and create a vaccine to protect against them. While the shot may not cover all the strains we end up with, getting it is still a good idea: Even if you get the flu, it should be shorter and less severe than it would\u2019ve been otherwise.<\/p>\n

What else you should know: If you\u2019re one of those people who doesn\u2019t get the shot because you \u201cdon\u2019t get the flu,\u201d remember you could be putting others at risk. \u201cOnly half of infected people will experience symptoms, so you can be totally unaware that you have the flu but still transmit it to others,\u201d says Kumar Dharmarajan, M.D.<\/a>, cardiologist and chief scientific officer at Clover Health.<\/p>\n

Tetanus<\/p>\n

Tetanus<\/a>, also known as lockjaw, is spread by a bacteria found in dust, manure, and soil. If you get cut by a contaminated object, like a nail, you can catch the infection, and symptoms include jaw cramps, muscle spasms, and seizures. Less than 40 tetanus cases are reported in the U.S. each year, per the CDC<\/a>. But if you get the infection, you\u2019ll need to go to the hospital.<\/p>\n

Who needs the vaccine: Everyone, every 10 years, per the CDC<\/a>. Widespread, consistent use of the vaccine is the reason the disease has been nearly eradicated in the U.S.<\/p>\n

How well it works: Extremely well, though it\u2019s not considered 100% effective. <\/p>\n

What else you should know: Tetanus is a serious illness, so if you think you could be at risk\u2014say, you stepped on a rusty nail and it\u2019s been years since your last tetanus shot\u2014go for a booster immediately, says Amesh Adalja, M.D.<\/a>, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.<\/p>\n

Shingles<\/p>\n

Shingles<\/a> is a painful blistering rash that can cause scarring and even vision loss. It\u2019s caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, which stays dormant in your body after you recover from it. If the virus gets reactivated, you\u2019ll develop shingles\u2014and about one-third of Americans will at some point in their lives, per the CDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who needs the vaccine: Almost anyone 50 or older, and immunocompromised adults over 19, per the CDC<\/a>. \u201cShingles can lead to a debilitating chronic pain syndrome,\u201d says Dr. Adalja. \u201cIt also increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

How well it works: It\u2019s 51% effective if you\u2019ve been vaccinated with Zostavax or 90% effective if you get the newer Shingrix, per Harvard Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What else you should know: Dr. Schaffner recommends that anyone who\u2019s received Zostavax\u2014which is being phased out\u2014ask to be revaccinated with Shingrix if it\u2019s available. \u201cIt\u2019s so popular that the manufacturer cannot meet the demand,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

HPV (human papillomavirus)<\/p>\n

HPV<\/a> is typically transmitted through sexual contact, and it can cause warts on your genitals, mouth, or rectum. Since HPV is often symptomless, you can catch and spread it unwittingly. The virus can go away on its own. But if it doesn\u2019t and it stays untreated, it can also develop into cancer.<\/p>\n

Who needs the vaccine: Anyone up to age 26, and some adults between 27 and 45 who haven\u2019t previously received two doses, per the CDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How well it works: The CDC<\/a> considers it close to 100% effective.<\/p>\n

What else you should know: For young people, the CDC recommends the first dose at age 11 or 12, though you can get vaccinated as early as age 9. Dr. Adalja suggests viewing the viewing as not just a tool in preventing sexually transmitted infections, but also \u201ca breakthrough in cancer prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chickenpox<\/p>\n

Chickenpox<\/a> is caused by a virus, and you can catch it through close contact with someone who has chickenpox or shingles. If you\u2019ve never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, you can still get the virus\u2014and older adults are at greater risk of serious complications, like pneumonia and encephalitis. <\/p>\n

Who needs the vaccine: Anyone who has never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, per the CDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How well it works: Two doses are 98% effective at preventing any form of the illness and 100% effective against severe cases, per the CDC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What else you should know: The vaccine may even protect you after you\u2019ve been exposed if you receive the shot within 3 to 5 days, per some research<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other vaccines to consider<\/p>\n

While many people don\u2019t need these vaccines, if you do, they could be lifesaving.<\/p>\n

Hepatitis B<\/a> attacks the liver and can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. The CDC<\/a> recommends the vaccine for anyone under 59\u2014and anyone over 60 who works in health care, is sexually active, or has other hepatitis B risk factors<\/a>.Meningococcus can develop into meningitis<\/a> and sepsis. The CDC<\/a> recommends the vaccine for adults who have certain medical conditions, take certain medications, or travel to sub-Saharan countries, among others<\/a>.Pneumococcus can cause pneumonia<\/a> and meningitis. The CDC<\/a> recommends the vaccine for all adults 50 and older. And both the CDC and Dr. Dharmarajan endorse it for adults under 50 who are \u201cat increased risk for pneumococcal disease because of an illness\u201d like liver or kidney disease.Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getting routine vaccines doesn\u2019t stop once you hit adulthood. In fact, there are several vaccines experts say you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31084,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[49,48,1641,24038,784,84,392,1642,24037],"class_list":["post-31083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-content-type-how-to-service","tag-contentid-040d307a-6929-4cca-a239-0bc3ab99465c","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-locale-us","tag-shorttitle-doctors-reveal-the-5-vaccines-every-adult-needs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}