Recommended Vaccinations for Adults

PURPOSE

Guide for individuals to ensure they stay up-to-date on recommended vaccines.

Recommended Immunizations for Adults Aged 19 Years and Older, United States, 2025

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For Other Groups

Staying up to date on your vaccines is one of the best things you can do to protect your health.

If you are pregnant or have a medical condition that puts you at higher risk for infections, talk to your health care provider about which vaccines are right for you.

Recommended Vaccinations for Adults 1

Recommended Vaccinations for Adults
Recommended Vaccinations for Adults

What diseases do these vaccines protect against?

Vaccine-Preventable DiseaseDisease complicationsNumber of Vaccine Doses

COVID-19
Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu

Pneumonia, blood clots, liver, heart, or kidney damage, long COVID, death1 or more doses of the current COVID-19 vaccine depending on age or health status. For more information: www.cdc.gov/covidschedule

Influenza (Flu)
Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs

Pneumonia, sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying health conditions like heart and lung disease, death1 dose each year

RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus)
Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs

Pneumonia, inflammation of the small airways in the lung; especially dangerous for infants, young children, and older adults1 dose

Tetanus (Lockjaw)*
Infection caused by bacterial spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin

Sudden, involuntary muscle spasms, jaw cramping, seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death

3 doses if not already vaccinated

1 booster every 10 years
1 dose for dirty wounds

Diphtheria*
Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs

Thick, gray, build up in throat or nose makes breathing and swallowing difficult, heart failure, brain injury, coma, death
3 doses if not already vaccinated
1 booster every 10 years

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)*
Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway

Severe coughing fits, life-threatening pause in breathing, pneumonia, death; especially dangerous for babies
3 doses if not already vaccinated
1 dose every pregnancy

Measles (Rubeola)
Contagious viral infection that causes high fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and rash

Brain swelling, pneumonia, death1 or 2 doses

Mumps
Contagious viral infection that causes fever, tiredness, swollen cheeks, and tender swollen jaw

Brain swelling, painful and swollen testicles or ovaries, deafness, death1 or 2 doses

Rubella (German Measles)
Contagious viral infection that causes low-grade fever, sore throat, and rash

Very dangerous in pregnant women; can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, severe birth defects1 or 2 doses

Chickenpox (Varicella)
Contagious viral infection that causes fever, headache, and an itchy, blistering rash

Infected sores, brain swelling, pneumonia, death2 doses

Shingles (Zoster)
Caused by the chickenpox virus, which hides in the body and sometimes reactivates later in life

Severe blistering rash on one side of the face or body; long-term nerve pain, hearing damage, blindness, death2 doses

HPV (Human papillomavirus)
Contagious viral infection spread by sexual contact; sometimes causes genital warts

Many types of cancers including cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and throat2 or 3 doses

Pneumococcal
Bacterial infections of ears, sinuses, lungs, or bloodstream

Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include pneumonia, blood poisoning, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, death1 or 2 doses

Hepatitis A
Contagious viral infection of the liver spread by contaminated food or drink or close contact with an infected person

Liver failure, yellow skin or eyes, stomach pain, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, fatigue, death2, 3, or 4 doses depending on vaccine used

Hepatitis B
Contagious viral infection of the liver spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood or semen

Liver failure, yellow skin or eyes, stomach pain, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, fatigue, death2, 3, or 4 doses depending on vaccine used

Meningococcal
Bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or the bloodstream

Fever, headache, stiff neck, light sensitivity, confusion, loss of arm or leg, deafness, seizures, death1 or more doses depending on vaccine used, medical condition, where patient lives or works

Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
Bacterial infection that can attack the lungs, brain and spinal cord, or bloodstream

Brain damage, hearing loss, loss of arm or leg, death1 or 3 doses depending on medical condition

Mpox
Contagious viral infection spread by sexual contact; causes a painful rash, fever, headache, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes

Infected sores, brain swelling, pneumonia, eye infection, blindness, death2 doses

*Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis

*Td protects against tetanus and diphtheria

†MMR protects against measles, mumps, and rubella

This easy-to-read schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and American College of Physicians (ACP).

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