(Reuters Health) - Too many U.S. adults are not getting vaccinated, putting themselves and others at risk, immunization experts say.
According to the latest available data, about 44 percent of adults over age 19 had a flu shot; 20 percent had a TDAP vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; and 20 percent of 19-to-64-year-olds at risk of pneumonia had that vaccine (compared to 60 percent of those over 65).
Just 27 percent of those over age 60 were vaccinated against herpes zoster, which cuts the risk of shingles in half, according to new guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Vaccinations not only protect you. They also protect those around you,” ACIP liaison Dr. Sandra Fryhofer said by email, yet, “vaccination coverage rates for adults are abysmal.”
Fryhofer, an Atlanta physician and adjunct associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine, also pointed to racial and ethnic disparities in vaccination rates, with whites more likely than all other groups to be vaccinated. And she noted that adults with health insurance are two to five times more likely to be appropriately vaccinated.
“It’s a double whammy for those without insurance. They don’t have insurance coverage if they get sick and they don’t have insurance coverage to pay for vaccinations that can help them stay well,” said Fryhofer, who was also a member of the working group that came up with the new guidelines.
Dr. Walter Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, called adult vaccine uptake “disappointing” and said it is substantially below the rates achieved for most recommended vaccines for young children.
“All adults should be vaccinated against influenza annually, receive a booster of a tetanus vaccine every 10 years, two different types of pneumococcal vaccine when they turn 65, and a vaccine to prevent shingles when they reach age 60,” Orenstein said by email.
If you weren’t vaccinated as a child, you may need additional vaccines, added Orenstein, who was not involved in the guidelines. “All pregnant women should receive influenza vaccine, which protects them and their newborns, as well as a dose of a vaccine that protects their newborns against whooping cough,” he said.
Some of the important changes made in the 2017 guidelines, according to Fryhofer and Orenstein, include the recommendation that everyone aged 6 months and older should still be vaccinated against flu, even this late in the season, but should not use the nasal vaccine, which has been found not to work very well.
Another new guidance says that young people vaccinated against human papilloma virus (HPV) before age 15 need only two vaccine doses, not three, given at least five months apart. If you’re 15 or older and haven’t been vaccinated before, you still need three doses.
People with liver disease should get the hepatitis B vaccine, which also protects against liver cancer. And those with HIV need two doses of a meningococcal vaccine, and doctors should use the same vaccine for all doses.
How well an individual responds to a vaccine ― whether or not it works ― depends on the health of their immune system, Fryhofer said. “The very young, the old, or anyone with a weakened immune system ― including pregnant women ― don’t respond as well,” she noted.
“Healthy people are more likely to make the most protective antibodies, and that’s another reason why it’s important for them to get vaccinated. They need to stay protected so they won’t spread infection to others who are not so healthy and could die if they get sick,” she added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccinations for Adults web page (http://bit.ly/2fzDu1A) can help you determine which vaccines you need, Orenstein said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2kihPJM Annals of Internal Medicine, online February 7, 2017.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.