Over 50? The Vaccines You Need.

1. Influenza—Everyone 6 months and older should receive this shot annually. The flu kills 36,000 people each year in the United States, and seniors are at the greatest risk.
2. Td (tetanus, diphtheria) and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)—If you’ve never had the Tdap vaccine, you need to have it once. If you have already had the Tdap at some point in your life, you need to get the Td booster once every 10 years.
3. Herpes zoster (shingles)—Everyone over 60 should receive the zoster vaccine once, even if they have never had shingles or the chicken pox.
4. MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine—If you don’t know your immunization status for these three diseases, you need to get a booster shot.
5. Hepatitis A—Anyone 50 and older who engages in high-risk behaviors for contracting hepatitis A, such as same-sex male intercourse or illicit injectable drug use, should receive the vaccine. You also need it if you have liver disease or are traveling to an area with a high rate of the disease. The vaccine is given in two doses.
6. Hepatitis B—Anyone 50 and older who is at risk, including anyone with more than one sex partner, chronic kidney or liver disease, a job that exposes you to bodily fluids or who is traveling to an area where the disease is common, among other risk factors. It is given in three doses.
7. Meningococcal—If you have never been vaccinated for meningitis, you need either the MCV4 vaccine (if you are 50 to 55) or the MPSV4 vaccine (if you are over 55) once.
8. Pneumococcal (Pneumonia)—Everyone 65 and older needs this vaccine once. People 50 and over, with certain risk factors, may need to receive it as well.