Vaccines aren’t just for kids. In fact, there are some, like the tetanus shot, that you need to have on a regular basis throughout your adult years. It’s a good reason to keep a careful immunization record.
The TDaP Vaccine: Triple Protection
TDaP stands for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, and it protects against all three infections.
- This bacterial infection can be a very serious disease with symptoms including painful muscle contractions that typically affect jaw and neck muscles, which explains its common name, lockjaw.
- This is a respiratory infection with symptoms such as severe throat pain and difficulty breathing. It can even be deadly.
- This is a respiratory infection best known as whooping cough, named for the distinctive sound of the cough it causes.
When to get a tetanus shot
It’s important to get the TDaP vaccine every 10 years because you do lose your immunity over that timeframe. However, should you suffer a puncture or other type of wound deep enough to require stitches, you’ll receive a booster if it’s been more than 5 years since your last shot.
Unfortunately, we’re seeing small pockets of transmission of diphtheria across the country, especially among people who don’t have easy access to the vaccine. Pertussis spreads easily among children who, even if they’ve been vaccinated, can pass it to adults, which is why it’s important to keep up with these once-a-decade shots.
While no vaccine is 100 percent effective, this trio has a better-than-90 percent effective rate. Tetanus shot side effects are usually mild. Some people experience discomfort at the injection site (true of any shot), fatigue, low grade fever and nausea for a day or two.
The Big 5
These are vaccines that I recommend to all my older patients.
Shingles vaccine
Shingles is a severe disease that can be disabling. I’ve had patients who have lost their eyesight or hearing when it involved the nerves in their face. Everyone over age 50 needs this protection. The vaccine that we have currently is more than 99 percent effective. There are side effects, such as fever of about 102°F and fatigue for a couple of days, but that’s nothing compared to the agony of a bad case of shingles. The risk-reward ratio is definitely in your favor.
Pneumococcal vaccine
Also a must for people over age 50 and anybody with pulmonary issues, this vaccine is usually be repeated every five years as new versions covering more strains of pneumonia are formulated. The most current, PCV 20, with 20 strains, is very effective.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
We used to think that this virus was not a big deal, but studies show that it is a significant cause of significant respiratory illness in older adults as well as kids. It can land you in the hospital on a ventilator. The vaccine is very effective and very safe and recommended for people over age 55.
Influenza vaccine
This is needed every year because the formula is updated annually to match the strains most likely to be circulating in the months ahead. Flu vaccines are not perfect. They don’t always prevent the flu. but what they always do is lower its severity. So, if you get the flu, it will be less severe, and you’ll have a lower chance of ending up in the hospital with complications.
COVID-19 boosters
Now recommended every six months, this vaccine is not perfect, either, and there are breakthrough cases, meaning you can still get infected. But what these boosters do very, very well is keep you out of the hospital. Any COVID infection you get despite the shot will be less severe, with less chance of dying and, another very important benefit, less chance of getting long COVID.
What about the measles vaccine?
Although measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, there have been pockets of outbreaks in the country, typically from carriers passing it to the unvaccinated. There is some confusion over who should be vaccinated based on age. Here’s what you need to know:
People were born before 1957 are, by definition, considered immune because measles was so widespread up until then that it was unavoidable for all intents and purposes. Chances are you had the measles, though it could have been a mild case that kept your parents from taking you to the doctor and one you don’t remember.
It’s trickier for the next tier of people born between 1957 and 1968, because they likely got a vaccine that was not active and may not have full protection.
If you were born after 1968 and had two shots, you have a lifelong protection rate of about 97 percent. Some people may have only received one dose, which is considered 93 percent effective.
Anyone unsure about whether they had the vaccine should discuss their personal situation with their doctor. You might decide to have a blood test to check for antibodies. If it’s negative, consider getting the vaccine unless you are immunocompromised. It could negatively affect you because it’s a vaccine with live strains, another conversation to have with your provider.
Other vaccines to consider
HPV
This is our first vaccine against cancer and is 97 percent effective in preventing cervical cancer and cell changes that could lead to cancer, especially if people who had the vaccine before any possible exposure to the various strains of the HPV virus. It’s also now possible to get this vaccine up to age 45 (though it’s recommended for preteens).
Mpox
This is a disease primarily transmitted in a particular demographic. The population at the highest risk is men who have sex with men and people with multiple sex partners—the Mpox vaccine, which involves two shots, is recommended for them. It prevents the disease, and it’s very effective.
Vaccinations for travelers
It’s recommended that people who do long distance or adventure travel have a consultation at a travel medicine clinic well in advance of their departure. These are typically one-stop shops where you can get vaccinations based on risks at your destination. These might include yellow fever, typhoid, and hepatitis A/B. (You’ll also get advice for handling common mishaps like traveler’s diarrhea.)
If you have concerns about the safety of vaccines, talk to your provider to learn about the benefits as well as any risks for you.
