Vaccines for Older Adults and Those with Chronic Illness

Adults age 50 and older and those with chronic illnesses (such as heart, lung, liver, kidney, or sickle cell disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, or a removed or damaged spleen) are particularly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable disease. This is because immunity fades as we age and/or because of a weakened immune system or poorer overall health.

If you are over 50 and/or chronically ill, talk with your healthcare provider to see if you need to be vaccinated for any of the following:

Flu and Pneumonia
People aged 50 and older should get a flu shot each year, while pneumonia vaccination (usually a single dose) is recommended for people over 65. Most flu deaths each year are among people 65 and over.

Pneumonia (or pneumococcal disease) can cause infections of the lungs, blood, and brain and can be fatal. This disease is one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable death in the U.S. and is especially dangerous for older adults.

Shingles
Shingles is an extremely painful skin rash that can cause blisters and lasts for 3 to 5 weeks. Almost 1 million Americans, half of whom are over 60, get shingles each year.

Most people over age 60 should get vaccinated for shingles (even if you’ve had a previous case of chickenpox or shingles). But you should not if you have a weak immune system, are receiving a drug (like steroids) that could weaken your immune system, are receiving cancer treatment, have a history of bone marrow or lymph system cancer, and/or have active, untreated tuberculosis.

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap)
Td boosters are also important if you’re over 50. Though tetanus occurs rarely in the U.S., adults 50 years old or older account for 70 percent of tetanus infections. Older adults who don’t know whether they received a tetanus vaccination as children should receive the primary series of three shots as well as Td booster shots every 10 years up to age 64.

As with younger adults, the CDC recommends that a one-time booster shot of Tdap replace a single dose of Td to ensure additional protection against pertussis (whooping cough).

Vaccines for Adults

Vaccines for Most Adults

Vaccines for Women

H1N1 Information

Vaccine Home