Many infectious diseases are preventable with vaccines.
Vaccines work in two ways – primarily, they protect people from getting sick or from getting severely sick, as was the case with COVID-19. They also prevent infections and diseases from spreading throughout communities.
While some childhood vaccines are good for life, others require boosters to maintain a desirable level of protection against disease. There are also other vaccines created to protect against diseases that primarily affect adults.
If you are not sure what vaccinations you require as an adult, read on to learn about the top five recommended vaccinations for adults in America:
- HPV Vaccine
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is a common virus transmitted through intimate sexual acts – not only penetrative ones.
It can cause oral, anal, and cervical cancers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It is so prolific that nearly all sexually active people will get the virus at some stage.
The vaccine is the most effective before the age of 12, but it still provides good protection before the age of 26 – so young adults need to go get theirs from their primary healthcare provider.
- Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B can damage your liver and cause devastating health problems, such as cirrhosis. It can also lead to liver cancer.
Hepatitis is easily spread through sexual contact and via blood or bodily fluids.
To prevent this you can make healthier life choices, get vaccinated, and practice safe sex.
Although treatment for Hepatitis B does exist, prevention is always better than cure.
You can get vaccinated at your doctor’s office. The vaccine is safe and recommended for adults between 19 and 65.
- Pneumococcal Vaccine
Pneumonia is a lung infection that typically causes coughing and a fever. It is often caused by bacteria entering the lower respiratory tract and then replicating.
While younger adults are not immune to it, it presents more severely in older adults and those with compromised immune systems.
Fortunately, there are vaccination options for adults to reduce your risk of pneumonia.
You can also reduce your risk further by quitting smoking and practicing good oral hygiene to limit or reduce the colonization of certain bacteria in your mouth.
- Shingles Vaccine
You probably know about the chickenpox virus that most of us had as a child.
Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus and causes a painful rash that usually appears on one side of the body. It is typically accompanied by a fever, headache, chills, lethargy, and muscle pain – among other symptoms.
Even if you have had the chickenpox vaccination, people over 50 – or those over 19 who are immunocompromised, should get the Shingles vaccination.
- Tetanus Vaccine
Tetanus is a potentially fatal (and truly awful infection) that people can get from cuts or wounds exposed to the Clostridium Tetani bacterium, which can be found in soil, dust, and animal and human waste.
It is a serious bacterial infection that causes excruciatingly painful muscle spasms that typically start in the jaw. It is also known as lockjaw.
Tetanus is a potentially fatal infection.
The vaccination is therefore recommended for all adults every ten years.
To End
Getting the five recommended vaccinations above is one of the safest ways to protect your health and the health of those around you.
Ensure you are up-to-date with the vaccinations listed above for peace of mind in your adult years.