Adult vaccinations: which shots and when

In short

• The CDC's adult schedule covers adults 19 and older and is updated regularly.
• A flu vaccine is recommended every year, and a Td or Tdap booster every 10 years.
• Which other vaccines you need depends on your age, health conditions, job and travel.
• No national organization keeps vaccine records, so start looking with your providers and your state.
• See a provider for travel vaccines at least 4 to 6 weeks before a trip.

Why adults need vaccines

Vaccines train the immune system to make antibodies, much as it does when exposed to a disease, and they contain killed or weakened germs, so they do not cause the illness. MedlinePlus says getting immunity from a vaccine is safer than getting it by being sick.

They also give community immunity, which protects people who cannot be vaccinated, such as newborns or people with a weakened immune system. The WHO notes that some vaccines are needed only before travel, in high-risk areas or for certain high-risk jobs.

What the CDC adult schedule covers

• Flu: every year.
• COVID-19: recommended, with the recommendation varying by age group.
• Tdap and Td: Tdap once, then a Td or Tdap booster every 10 years. Tdap is also recommended during each pregnancy.
• MMR: for adults born in 1957 or later, depending on indication.
• Varicella (chickenpox): for adults born in 1980 or later without evidence of immunity.
• Hepatitis B: based on age, risk factors or a medical condition.
• Pneumococcal: for adults 50 and older and some younger adults.
• Shingles (RZV): for adults 50 and older.
• HPV: for younger adults, with separate guidance for ages 27 to 45.
• RSV: during pregnancy in season, for adults 50 to 74 with certain risk factors, and for adults 75 and older.

Hib, meningococcal, mpox and polio vaccines are recommended for specific ages or situations. Some recommendations depend on medical conditions, so use this list as an agenda for a conversation with your clinician, not as a prescription.

If you have lost your records

1. Check at home.Ask parents or caregivers and look through baby books or other saved childhood papers.
2. Ask past institutions.High school or college health services may keep records for only 1 to 2 years after you leave. Former employers, including the military, may have them if they required immunizations.
3. Ask your doctor or clinic.Office records are kept only for a limited number of years.
4. Contact your state health department.Some states have Immunization Information Systems that include adult vaccines.
5. Talk to your clinician.If nothing turns up, you may need to repeat some vaccines, which is safe, though not ideal. Sometimes a blood test can show whether you are immune to certain diseases.

From now on, ask your provider to sign and date a record form for each vaccine, keep it with your important documents and ask that your shots be entered in a state registry as well.

Vaccines before travel

The CDC advises seeing a healthcare provider or a travel health specialist at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave, because some vaccines need several doses. Update your routine vaccines first, then check your destination page for other vaccines or medicines you may need.

Share your itinerary and planned activities so your provider can be specific. Carry a copy of your official immunization record. If yellow fever vaccine is recommended or required, it must be given at an authorized vaccine center.

Side effects and safety

The most typical side effects are soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given, with low-grade fever and tiredness. They are usually minor and go away within a few days. Headache and muscle aches are listed for several vaccines.

Fainting can happen after vaccination, so tell your provider if you feel dizzy, have vision changes or hear ringing in your ears. Serious reactions are rare, and vaccines must go through extensive safety testing before they are approved in the United States. Rare reactions specific to some vaccines include fever-related seizures after MMR or varicella and Guillain-Barré syndrome after some flu and shingles vaccines.

When to see a doctor, and red flags

Book a visit to review your schedule if you are 50 or older, pregnant or planning a pregnancy, have a chronic condition or weakened immunity, work in health care, or plan to travel. Ask what you need and whether any vaccines should be given on the same day.

Call your clinician if a reaction worries you. Call 911 for trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, widespread hives, or fainting soon after a vaccine.

How a clinician reviews your history

A clinician or pharmacist reviews your age, health conditions, pregnancy status, job and travel plans against the CDC schedule and its notes, and checks your record for what you already have. Some recommendations depend on medical conditions, which are listed in the schedule's by-condition table.

They will also ask about allergies and earlier reactions. For vaccines that are not on the standard schedule, such as those needed for a particular country, your provider can look at the destination guidance with you.

Questions and answers

Sources

1. CDC — Adult Immunization Schedule by Age
2. CDC — Staying Up to Date with Your Vaccine Records
3. CDC — Possible Side Effects from Vaccines
4. CDC Travelers' Health — Travel Vaccines
5. WHO — Vaccines and immunization
6. MedlinePlus — Immunization

Sources checked on 29 October 2026.