Vaccines Every Adult Should Have

It’s not just our team of experts at Leading MDs who say it — our country's largest and most trusted medical communities and organizations tout the importance of vaccinations. 

One such institution is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They recommend vaccinations as the safest way to protect your health and the health of those around you. 

But your vaccination needs have changed since childhood, and it can be difficult to know which vaccines you really need. 

We’re here with an updated list of all recommended adult vaccinations. Here’s a closer look. 

COVID-19

COVID-19 is still a threat in many areas, especially among immuno-compromised folks. We recommend getting the COVID-19 shot to reduce your chances of becoming seriously ill or dying from the illness. 

Flu

This is the vaccine you may know most about. Every year, pharmaceutical companies create a new vaccine against the current strains of influenza. We recommend the flu shot to avoid serious complications. 

Hepatitis B

Adults aged 19-59 (and adults over 60 with certain risk factors) should consider getting the hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B is a disease that can seriously impact your liver, so vaccination is paramount to protecting yourself. 

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are more than 100 variations of HPV, and some of them can cause cancers. We strongly encourage girls and boys to receive the shot at age 11 or 12. 

If you start later and don’t get your shot until age 15-26, we recommend receiving three doses of the vaccine. 

Pneumococcal vaccine

Pneumococcal disease can cause a variety of other illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections. There are two vaccines for pneumococcal disease, and we recommend them for adults over 65.

Younger adults with an increased risk can also get the vaccine. 

Shingles

Shingles isn’t life-threatening like the other illnesses and infections we’ve covered, but it can be incredibly painful if you get it. Anyone who’s had chickenpox had the shingles virus (varicella-zoster virus) living dormant in their system. 

Healthy adults over 50 should get the two-dose vaccination to avoid the painful symptoms of shingles. 

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap)

This combination vaccination protects you against three different illnesses: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. 

You likely got your last dose when you were a preteen and again if you were pregnant, but you should receive booster doses every ten years to prevent complications from the illnesses, including lockjaw (tetanus) and whooping cough (pertussis).

How to know if you’re up-to-date

It’s easy to check your vaccination status. Simply call our office to see if you’ve lapsed on any of your shots. 

If it’s been a while, your schools or employers who have required vaccinations may have the information on hand. Some state health departments also keep a record of immunizations. 

In some cases, we can do a blood test to see if you’re already immune to certain vaccine-preventable diseases. If not, we recommend vaccines based on your results.

Have more questions about adult vaccinations? Our team of internal medicine experts would love to talk with you. Call our friendly staff at any of our four locations. We proudly serve Goodyear, Tempe, Mesa, and Sun City, Arizona.