Do adults need immunizations, too?

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

[4 MIN READ]

Immunizations are a safe, effective way to protect you and your family against many common health conditions and potentially serious illnesses. They activate the immune system to create a preemptive defense against diseases.
Children need immunizations against preventable medical conditions such as whooping cough, rubella, human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria. Adults continue to need regular immunizations to prevent illnesses such as the flu, RSV, shingles, COVID-19 and pneumonia.
A family medicine doctor at Providence Urgent Care discusses adult immunizations, their safety, and their effectiveness for disease prevention.

Between back-to-school physicals, regular checkups for sports and pediatrician visits, immunizations against preventable diseases were a regular part of childhood for many of us. Now that we’re older, do we still need to get those jabs in the arm?

“Absolutely,” says Robert Lichfield, DO, a family medicine doctor at Providence Urgent Care – Providence Medical Park. “Vaccines remain some of the very best tools to avoid illnesses. They’re right up there with sterile techniques for the great triumphs of Western medicine.”

We talked to Dr. Lichfield to get answers to common questions about recommended vaccines and adult immunizations, their risk factors and their effectiveness in preventing many serious illnesses. Here’s what he shared.

What are vaccines and how do they affect the immune system?

Dr. Lichfield: Vaccines activate the immune system to create a preemptive defense against several serious health conditions. They stimulate our body to produce molecules that will fight off infections and serious illness if we encounter them in the future. Different types of vaccines work in slightly different ways, but the goal is the same: to switch on immune responses and develop reliable immunity against specific medical conditions.

Do adults still need immunizations?

Dr. Lichfield: Yes. Adults absolutely need vaccines. Some, like flu and COVID-19 vaccines, are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yearly. Others, such as the shingles vaccine or pneumococcal vaccine, are given later in life when certain health risks increase, especially for people with weakened immune systems.

Vaccines are tailored to the stage of life and are typically available at your doctor’s office or local department of health. For example, college students are vaccinated against meningitis due to the higher risk of dorm outbreaks. Meanwhile, older adults are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases like pneumonia, making them essential as we age.

Vaccination isn’t just about personal health; it’s about community protection. When a large portion of the population is immunized, it limits the spread of infectious disease and serious illness. This concept is called herd immunity. For example, even though flu vaccines are only 60-65% effective, they reduce transmission dramatically by preventing multiple secondary cases for each person protected. For older adults, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems it can make a genuine difference in their overall health.

Why do I need a booster shot if I already got the vaccine?

Dr. Lichfield: A booster is like an update for your immune system. Some vaccines, like tetanus shots and the COVID-19 vaccine, require boosters because the immunity they provide can decrease over time.

The CDC recommends other boosters, like flu or COVID-19 vaccines, because viruses change over time. Scientists and healthcare providers work to predict these changes and develop vaccines tailored to each season’s strain. These boosters help keep our immunity current, especially for life-threatening health conditions that can evolve quickly.

Are vaccines safe?

Dr. Lichfield: Absolutely. Vaccines are very safe. The chances of severe side effects like anaphylaxis are extremely rare. They occur in about one in 300,000 cases. Production processes have improved, making adverse reactions even less common today than in the past.

There are rare cases where certain individuals should avoid specific vaccines. For instance, people without a spleen may need tailored vaccine schedules. While these cases exist, they are exceptions to the standard vaccine recommendations. For the vast majority, recommended vaccines are both safe and beneficial.

Do vaccines cause side effects?

Dr. Lichfield: It's normal to experience mild symptoms, like soreness or fatigue, after vaccination. These symptoms aren't signs of illness but rather indicate that the immune system is activated. It's the body's way of practicing a response to future infections.

While these side effects can feel similar to a mild health condition, they are usually far less severe than getting the actual disease. The symptoms usually pass quickly, whereas the illness can be far more debilitating.

What vaccines do adults need?

Dr. Lichfield: The flu, COVID-19, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccines are top priorities for the typical adult immunization schedule and people with weakened immune systems, especially as we age. Healthcare workers, in particular, should stay up to date since they’re frequently exposed to infectious diseases.

Personally, I recommend getting any vaccine offered. As someone who sees patients every day, I take every precaution to avoid getting sick and encourage other healthcare workers to do the same.

Contributing caregiver

Robert Lichfield, DO, is a Providence family medicine doctor in Spokane, Washington.

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