Key takeaways
- Tetanus/diphtheria booster every 10 years — most adults are behind.
- Shingles vaccine at 50+ is genuinely worth it.
- Annual flu shot is not just for the elderly.
- HPV vaccine now recommended up to age 45.
Why adult vaccination is a coverage gap
Childhood vaccine schedules are well-known. Adult schedules are… not. Most adults don't have a copy of what they've had, when, and what's due. This is a gap worth closing — because a decent fraction of preventable adult infections happen in people who are simply overdue.
The five or ten minutes of updating your immunisation history at your next physical pays back for years.
The core adult list
- Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap) — one Tdap in adulthood, then Td booster every 10 years
- Flu (influenza) — annually, for everyone 6+ months old
- COVID-19 — current guidance varies by region and risk; check locally
- Shingles (zoster) — 2-dose series at age 50+. Extraordinarily protective
- Pneumococcal — at 65+, or earlier with certain conditions
- HPV — recommended through age 26; can be given up to 45 depending on risk
- Hepatitis B — if not previously vaccinated, especially healthcare workers
The ones people miss most
The tetanus booster is famously overdue. Most adults have no idea when their last one was. The shingles shot at 50 is dramatically underutilised despite outstanding data — a case of shingles is genuinely miserable and can leave lasting nerve pain.
Flu shots have PR problems from a decade of arguments about efficacy. The nuance: they're modestly effective against catching flu but very effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalisation. That's the win.
Vaccination in adulthood is one of the highest-leverage things you can do in ten minutes at a pharmacy.
— Dr. Aditya Nair
A quick note on travel
Any international travel is a good moment to update everything. Some destinations require typhoid, hepatitis A, yellow fever, or others. Two months before travel, ask a travel clinic — some vaccines need lead time.
The takeaway
Look up your last tetanus shot. Ask your doctor about the shingles vaccine after 50. Get flu shots annually. This is unglamorous, effective, boring medicine — the best kind.
See also our annual check-up guide.
