Vaccination
Flu Season
What you need to know this flu season to help prevent illness and stay healthy.
Annual flu vaccination is recommended for everyone six months and older. New this season, however, is a preferential recommendation for using higher dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines in people 65 and older over standard dose, unadjuvanted flu vaccines. More information on this new recommendation can be found here"CDC.gov"
There are many different flu viruses, and they are constantly changing. The composition of U.S. flu vaccines is reviewed annually and updated as needed. The recommendations for the 2022-2023 season include two updates compared with the recommended composition of last season’s U.S. flu vaccines. Both the influenza A(H3N2) and the influenza B(Victoria lineage) vaccine virus components were updated.
For more information, please refer to CDC guidelines on Vaccinations
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Vaccines you need
As we get older, our immune systems tend to weaken over time, putting us at higher risk for certain diseases. All adults age 65 and older should make sure they are up to date on these vaccines.
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COVID-19vaccine
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Fluvaccine(influenza)
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Pneumococcal vaccine
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Shinglesvaccine(zoster)
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TDAP - Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough Vaccination
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RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) adults aged 60 years older should talk to their healthcare provider about getting a single dose of the RSV vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations.
COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States:
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Pfizer-BioNTech
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Moderna
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Novavax
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Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen)
Shingles Vaccination
Shingles vaccination is the only way to protect against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common complication from shingles.
CDC recommends that adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine) to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease.
Adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix, as they have a higher risk of getting shingles and related complications.
TDAP - Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough Vaccination
CDC recommends diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination for
everyone.Talk to your or your child’s doctor if you have questions about diphtheria, tetanus,
and whooping cough vaccines.
Pneumococcal Vaccination
Vaccines are the best way to prevent pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal disease is common in young children, but older adults are at greatest risk of serious illness and death.
Adults
Adults who have never received a pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine should receive PCV15 or
PCV20 if they:
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Are 65 years and older
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Are 19 through 64 years old and have certa medical conditions or other risk factors
Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccination and Preventable Disease
Pronounced (in-floo-EN-za)
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and can lead to hospitalization and death. Every year in the United States, millions of people are sickened, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousandsof people die from the flu.
RSV Vaccination
There are two RSV vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in adults 60 and older in the United States:
•RSVPreF3 (Arexvy)
•RSVpreF (Abrysvo)
Both vaccines contain a part of the RSV virus. Both vaccines work by causing an immune response that can protect you from respiratory disease if you are infected with RSV in the future. Adults 60 years and older should talk with their health care provider about whether RSV vaccination is right for them. There is no maximum age for getting RSV vaccination. RSV vaccine is given as a single dose.
If you’re 60 or older, your health care provider mightrecommend RSV vaccination for you, especially ifyou have a weakened immune system from illness(e.g., leukemia or HIV infection) or frommedications (e.g., treatment for cancer or organtransplant), if you have chronic medical conditionssuch as heart or lung disease, or if you live in anursing home. If any of those apply to you, youmight be at higher risk of severe RSV disease andan RSV vaccine could help prevent serious illness.