Persons age 65 or older should get a booster shot if they received the vaccination more than 5 years previously and were younger than age 65 when they received it. An annual flu shot is recommended for all older adults. This is especially important for older adults because the flu can cause major complications, hospitalization, and death in people 65 and older or those whose health is not good. The stronger benefits for older adults who get the flu shot are 50 to 60 percent protection from hospitalization due to complications, and 80 percent prevention of flu-related deaths. The best time for getting your flu shot is from October through mid-November.
Tetanus immunization is recommended every ten years for adults.
This is especially important for older adults, since they have thinner skin and may be more vulnerable to tetanus-infected cuts and puncture wounds. Call your healthcare provider if you have a puncture wound or injury that breaks the skin and you have not had a tetanus immunization or booster in 5 years. If you are traveling to areas that have polio or hepatitis A, you will need to be immunized for these even if you already were as a child. Any time you are leaving the country, ask your healthcare provider about any extra immunizations you should have. This is important for people of all ages, but especially so for older adults who may not survive the illness related to these diseases.