Look Who it Was Random video

Vaccines Not Just Kid Stuff

98 views · Published 4 October 2015 · 2:06 · Indexed 20 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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Yes, you’re all grown up, but have you had your shots lately? A common misconception is that vaccines are purely kid’s stuff. In truth they also help adults ward of disease and illness.

“Adults have to be vaccinated just as well as kids do. Certainly there’s a lot more that you give kids in the early years, but every adult should get a flu shot,” says Lee Memorial Health System’s vice president of health and wellness, Dr. Sal Lacagnina. 

The influenza vaccine is the most widely used, but far from the only adult vaccine.
“Most adults also need a pneumonia vaccine every five or six years because the immunization wanes as time goes on,” says Dr. Lacagnina. 
In its adult vaccine schedule, the CDC recommends the influenza vaccine yearly and the pneumococcal vaccine beginning at age 65. The Tdap vaccine (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine) combines several immunizations and is given as a booster every 10 years.

“We’re seeing a rise in whooping cough, pertussis, so when you get your diphtheria and tetanus immunizations, it’s actually included in there now,” says Dr. Lacagnina. 
The herpes zoster vaccine, also called the shingles shot, is a one-time shot given to people age 60 or older. Studies show 99% of Americans over age 40 had chicken pox, whether they remember it or not.
Your doctor may also advise other vaccines based on lifestyle and risk factors. And recently there’s been more discussion about adult boosters: providing additional protection only if needed.

“For a lot of people we just have them do a blood test to see if their antibody levels are still high enough. If they’re not, we will usually recommend the booster,” says Dr. Lacagnina. 
The MMR- or measles-mumps-rubella vaccine falls into this category as does the varicella or chicken pox vaccine. 
Immunizations help the body protect itself, getting recommended shots helps limit disease community-wide.
“You try to wipe it out as totally as you can, immunize as many people as you can, so you actually get rid of the infection,” says Dr. Lacagnina.

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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