Do Adults Need Vaccine Boosters?

My daughter is about to start kindergarten and we’re going through all paperwork and appointments to get her ready. We’ve also made sure she’s up-to-date on all her vaccines and immunizations so she won’t get sick or spread disease to others. It made me wonder: I haven’t gotten an immunization in years. Should I? Do adults need vaccine boosters?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends certain vaccines for adults depending on age or health condition.

• Flu vaccine: Recommended yearly for adults.
• Tdap or Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis): 1 dose if you did not get it as a child or adult. A booster is recommended every 10 years and women should get 1 dose during every pregnancy.
• Shingles: 2 doses of the shingles RZV vaccine are recommended at age 50 years or older (preferred) or 1 dose of the shingles ZVL vaccine at age 60 years or older, even if you had shingles before.
• Pneumococcal vaccine: Recommended after age 65.
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): Recommended if you were born 1957 or later and you did not get one as a child.
• HPV (human papillomavirus): Recommended for women through age 26 or for men through age 21.
• Chickenpox (varicella): Recommended for adults if you did not get it when you were a child.

Depending on your health condition, other vaccines may be recommended including meningococcal vaccine, hepatitis A or B, and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b).