Download Vaccines at My Age? - Aimee Armour

Vaccines at My Age?
Jo Ann Stewart, MD
San Diego, California
We are all familiar with the many childhood vaccines that are
recommended, but it becomes a little less clear which vaccines are
recommended for seniors. As we get older, our immune systems become
weaker. Because of this, there are several vaccines that are specifically
recommended for the elderly population. These include the following:
Influenza
1 dose annually
Pneumococcal polysaccharide 1 dose
Zoster
1 dose
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis
1 dose Tdap booster/
tetanus booster every 10 yrs
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Influenza: Every year in the United States,
there are 36,000 deaths and 200,000
hospitalizations due to the flu. Most of these
deaths are among adults age 65 years or
older. Vaccination is effective in preventing
death (47%) and hospitalization (27%)
in community dwelling older persons. A
common myth is that “you can get the flu”
from the flu shot. This is untrue since the
injectable form of the flu vaccine contains
inactivated or “dead” virus particles. This
is the form of vaccine that is recommended
for older adults.
Pneumococcal Vaccine: Pneumococcal
disease can cause serious infections in
the lungs (pneumonia), the bloodstream
(bacteremia), and the covering of the brain
(meningitis). Pneumococcal disease is one
of the most common causes of vaccine
preventable death in the U.S.
Zoster: Close to 1 million Americans get
shingles every year and almost half of them
are 60 years old and older. Herpes zoster
causes shingles, which is a disease that
causes a painful, blistering rash. One in
five people with shingles will have severe,
long-term pain (post-herpetic neuralgia)
even after the blistering rash has healed.
This is a huge impact on one’s quality of
life. The zoster vaccine is recommended for
adults over age 60 and can reduce the risk of
herpes zoster by 50% and decrease the risk
of severe of post-herpetic neuralgia by 66%.
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) and
Tetanus (Td): This one vaccine protects us
from 3 bacteria. Tetanus is a bacterium that
is usually found in the soil, on old nails,
and in dusty areas. It affects the nerves
and muscles in the body and can cause the
commonly known term “lockjaw”. Pertussis
causes the condition commonly known as
“whooping cough”. Diphtheria is a condition
that affects the respiratory system. It is
rarely seen today in the U.S. due to our
vaccination protocols.
Tdap is recommended for all adults who
come in contact with young infants less
than 12 months old. Other adults are
recommended to receive a one-time dose
of the Tdap vaccine. After your initial dose
of Tdap, you’ll need the Td booster every
10 years. But you don’t need to wait to get
the Tdap vaccine if you have recently been
vaccinated with the Td booster.
Proper vaccination against these diseases
can ward off, or at least reduce the severity
of these viruses and bacteria, helping to
save lives and improve quality of life. The
influenza and pneumonia vaccines are a
covered Medicare B benefit. The Tdap and
shingles vaccine is also covered, but a little
bit differently than the other 2 vaccines
(by Part D rather than Part B). There are
contraindications and side effects to any
vaccine, so please discuss this with your
healthcare provider to see if these vaccines
are appropriate for you.