LIVEWell Hot Shots
It’s easy to overlook, but adults need to stay up to date on these five crucial immunizations.
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n important part of health maintenance that adults frequently forget is assuring that their vaccines are up to date. “After you complete your childhood immunizations, sometimes those annual well checks fall off the radar,” says Kathleen Malear, certified nurse practitioner at Mercy Health in Lorain. Here are five immunizations to discuss with your doctor. — Kristen Hampshire
Flu: Even if you are young and healthy, getting the flu vaccine annually protects others. “You might not think the flu will affect you, but it could seriously impact someone you love who does not have the immunity that you do,” Malear says.
Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis): A rusty nail or cut from a garden tool could expose you to tetanus, a bacterial infection that causes muscle spasms, fever and trouble swallowing. Getting a Tdap immunization every 10 years protects you from infection. Tdap also addresses diphtheria, which causes breathing difficulty and can result in heart and nerve damage. Pertussis, or whooping cough, has re-emerged in recent years, too.
COVID-19: “Anyone who is eligible should receive the vaccine,” Malear says, adding that you can still get COVID-19 if you are immunized but the vaccine minimizes severe illness, hospitalization and mortality. Follow the CDC guidelines surrounding booster shots following the primary vaccine.
Shingles: Adults ages 50 and older should get two doses of the shingles vaccine, and the same goes for adults ages 19 and older who are immunocompromised. “If you had chickenpox as a child, it’s the same virus and it lies dormant in your body and can come out in times of stress and illness,” Malear explains.
should get immunized to protect against pneumonia. “There are two different versions of the vaccine addressing the various pneumonia strains, and adults should get one dose of each,” Malear says. 30
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Pneumonia: Children younger than age 2 and adults 65 and older
