What immunizations do adults need?
Immunizations help protect you from serious, preventable diseases. Keeping up to date with immunizations helps you stay healthy. As an adult, you need to be immunized against tetanus and diphtheria. Depending on your age and health, you may also need protection against influenza (flu), hepatitis, measles, rubella, chickenpox, or streptococcal (pneumococcal) pneumonia. The shots do not guarantee that you will not get sick with these illnesses, but they make it much less likely. They also reduce the risk of severe infection or death. The following is the recommended schedule for adult immunizations: Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis: Bacteria that enter your body through a break in the skin can cause tetanus. Tetanus is a disease that can be fatal, but it is easy to prevent by keeping up to date on your shots. Diphtheria, also caused by bacteria, can cause serious problems when the bacteria release a poison into the bloodstream. You should complete a 3-shot series of the tetanus/diphtheria va
