Vaccines Older Adults Really Need

If you were born before 1957, you’ve almost certainly had the measles, which can cause complications like brain swelling—and should have lifelong protection. "Unless you grew up on a remote farm in Montana where you never saw anyone, I think you’re good," says Schaffner. Born after 1968? You may have gotten two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine in childhood, which is about 97 percent effective against measles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This vaccine changes each year based on which strains of the influenza virus experts expect to predominate.

What to do: People 65 and older should get one of three vaccines each fall: Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, Fluad Quadrivalent, or Flublok Quadrivalent. Those are more effective in this age group than the regular flu shot, says Aaron Glatt, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, N.Y. If you can’t find one of those, get the regular flu shot.

RSV causes mild cold symptoms in most people. But every year, up to 150,000 American adults ages 60 and older end up in the hospital as a result of RSV.

What to do: The CDC recommends that everyone ages 75 and older, and people between 60 and 74 with underlying health conditions, get an RSV vaccine. Research suggests that two of them (Abrysvo and Arexvy) are at least 70 percent effective in preventing emergency room visits and hospitalizations in people ages 60 and older with RSV. Estimates aren’t yet available for the third vaccine, mResvia, which hasn’t been widely used yet.

Varicella-zoster, the virus that causes chickenpox, can lie dormant in your body for many years, then cause shingles, a blistering rash that can have complications such as vision or hearing loss and brain inflammation. In adults ages 50 to 69, the two-dose Shingrix vaccine is 97 percent effective in preventing shingles; in older adults, it’s 91 percent effective, the CDC says. Shingrix prevents about 90 percent of the cases of long-term nerve pain after shingles, as well. A 2025 study published in the journal Nature also suggests that the vaccine appears to cut dementia risk by about 20 percent. "We suspect that is because the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus may cause inflammation of the central nervous system," says John Swartzberg, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, Berkeley.

What to do: The CDC recommends that those ages 50 and older get Shingrix, even if they had shingles or the older vaccine, Zostavax. The doses should be separated by two to six months.

In the U.S., about 150,000 people are hospitalized annually with pneumonia or other diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria. There are four vaccines; effectiveness varies by vaccine and condition but generally ranges from 50 to 75 percent.

What to do: Last October, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that all adults ages 50 and older have a pneumococcal vaccine. Ask your doctor which vaccine you should have. It will depend on whether you’ve already had a pneumococcal shot, and which one, as well as what the doctor’s office has available, says Nisha Rughwani, MD, a geriatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

While you were likely vaccinated against all three diseases in childhood, immunity wanes. And pertussis, or whooping cough, has been on the rise.

What to do: Have a Tdap booster every 10 years, says Schaffner. It’s crucial if you have a new grandchild. "Pertussis can be extremely serious in infants and toddlers, so you absolutely don’t want to see a baby unless you’re up to date with your Tdap vaccine," he says.

The hepatitis B virus is spread through blood and bodily fluids, and can lead to liver disease and even liver failure.

What to do: The CDC recommends that adults, ages 60 and older, with HIV or liver disease, or who are on dialysis have this one-time vaccine. It’s also advised for adults with diabetes who get their blood glucose levels measured in a setting such as a senior center or nursing home, says Schaffner. "There have been reports of small outbreaks among older adults who share glucometers that haven’t been properly disinfected," he says.

You may not hear very much about COVID-19 these days, but the virus is still around, and new strains continue emerging. The shot has been shown to reduce the risk of related hospitalization in older adults by about 50 percent in the first two months after vaccination.

The CDC recommends that adults, ages 65 and older, get an updated vaccine every six months. "You can get it in October at the same time you get your flu vaccine, and then get another shot six months later," says Sharon Brangman, MD, chief of geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. (If you recently had COVID-19, wait 90 days after the start of the infection.) And while the recommended schedule is every six months, if you need a booster a bit sooner because of a local outbreak or travel, it’s fine, says the CDC.

Taking a vacation outside the U.S.? You may need a vaccine or two beforehand. What to do?

Plan ahead. Schaffner recommends getting any key vaccines at least a month before travel, says Schaffner. This gives you time to build up immunity.

Get up to date on regular vaccines. This is important for those such as flu and COVID-19, says Schaffner. The CDC also recommends making sure you’re fully vaccinated against measles because cases are rising around the world.

Check specifics. You’ll want to know whether any additional vaccines are advised for a particular country and, if so, where to get those. For popular international spots such as Europe, Canada, and Mexico, you don’t usually need more vaccines than you normally get. However, certain other locales may require vaccines you don’t typically get. For example, the CDC recommends the typhoid vaccine for most people who will be traveling to China. You might also consider getting the vaccine to protect against tick-borne encephalitis if you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors or in forested areas in China. You can get more info on the vaccines that are advised for a number of areas around the world at the CDC website.