Most of us believe that vaccines are meant for children only. This is not true. People of every age-group need certain vaccines to fight diseases. Read on to know which ones do you need.
Not getting well immunized can make you prone to life-threatening diseases. Different vaccines have been prescribed for different age groups by health experts. Use this guide to find out which vaccines you need now and which vaccines might be coming up — based on recommendations from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Immunization Action Coalition (IAC).
Vaccinations for preteens and teens, age- 11-19 years:
• Chickenpox- If you haven’t been vaccinated and haven’t had chickenpox, you need 2 doses of this vaccine. Anybody who was vaccinated with only 1 dose should get a second dose.
• Hepatitis A- You need 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine if you would like to be protected from this disease or if you have a risk factor for hepatitis A. Check with your healthcare provider to find out if you need this vaccine.
• Hepatitis B- This vaccine is recommended for all people age 0–18 years. You need a series of doses of hepatitis B vaccine if you have not already received them.
• Human papillomavirus- All preteens and teens age 11 and older need 3 doses of HPV vaccine. The vaccine protects against HPV, the most common cause of cervical cancer. It also protects against some other types of cancers, such as cancer of the anus and penis.
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• Influenza- Everyone aged 6 months and older needs influenza vaccination every fall or winter and for the rest of their lives.
• Measles, mumps, rubella- You need 2 doses of MMR vaccine if you have not already received them. MMR vaccine is usually given in childhood.
• Polio- You need a series of at least 3 doses of polio vaccine if you have not already received them. Polio vaccine is usually given in childhood.
• Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough- All preteens and teens (and adults!) need a dose of Tdap vaccine, a vaccine that protects you from tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis). After getting a dose of Tdap, you will need a tetanus-diphtheria (Td) shot every ten years.
Vaccinations for Adults:
• Hepatitis A- You need this vaccine if you have a specific risk factor for hepatitis A virus infection or simply want to be protected from this disease. The vaccine is usually given in 2 doses, 6–18 months apart.
• Hepatitis B- You need this vaccine if you have a specific risk factor for hepatitis B virus infection* or simply want to be protected from this disease. The vaccine is given in 3 doses, usually over 6 months.
• Influenza- You need a dose every fall (or winter) for your protection and for the protection of others around you.
• Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis)- All adults need to get Tdap vaccine (the adult whooping cough vaccine) and women need to get a dose during each pregnancy. After that, you need a Td booster dose every 10 years. Consult your healthcare provider if you haven’t had at least 3 tetanus- and diphtheria-containing shots sometime in your life or have a deep or dirty wound.
• Measles, mumps, and rubella- You need at least 1 dose of MMR if you were born in 1957 or later. You may also need a 2nd dose.
• Human papillomavirus- You need this vaccine if you are a woman age 26 years or younger or a man age 21 years or younger. Men age 22 through 26 years with a risk condition* also need vaccination. Any other man age 22 through 26 who wants to be protected from HPV may receive it, too. The vaccine is given in 3 doses over 6 months.
[Read:Malaria vaccine and pregnancy]
Ages 60 to 64:
• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tdap vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Td booster every 10 years
• Zoster vaccine
Ages 65 and older:
• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tdap vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Td booster every 10 years
• Zoster vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Pneumococcal vaccine
Children have a weak immune system which puts them at the highest risk of some deadly diseases. It is very important to get your kids vaccinated correctly at the right age. Read the following table to know which vaccine do children need at what age:
• Hepatitis-B- Children need this vaccine from birth- two months, then six months- 18 months.
• Rotavirus- Kids aged two months- six months are at a higher risk of rotavirus hence this vaccine is needed.
• DPT- Again, children aged two- six months and then from 15-18 months should be vaccinated with DTaP.
• HIB- Kids aged two-15 months need this vaccine. This age group also needs Pneumococcal, Polio and IPV doses.
Further, consult your doctor for a fixed chart of vaccines depicting specific injections for specific age group. Remember you are never too old to get immunized.
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