Vaccines for Adults: What You Need to Know

Childhood illnesses in adulthood can be dangerous. Adequate vaccination protection is therefore necessary for adults. Read here how you can protect yourself.

Whooping cough , rubella, measles, mumps: only children get that, many adults think – and feel a false sense of security. Because almost 80 percent of all German whooping cough patients have long since reached the age of 18 , a third is even older than 45, warns the Federal Association of Pneumologists in Heidenheim. The sick are badly injured. It’s really threatening with measles: One to two out of every 1000 adult patients will develop life-threatening encephalitis. And because the immune system is acutely weakened by the virus, every fifth to tenth adult person infected with measles also develops a severe middle ear or pneumonia. Experts like Prof. Dr. Reinhard Berner, Senior Physician in the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the Freiburg University Hospital, is therefore sounding the alarm: “Unvaccinated adults are just as susceptible to childhood illnesses as children, but the course of the disease can become many times more severe and prone to complications with increasing age.”In young women e.g. B. mumps can lead to ovarian inflammation. And rubella in unvaccinated pregnant women carries the risk of giving birth to babies with malformations. Nevertheless, the vaccination rate is falling continuously – and diseases such as poliomyelitis or diphtheria, which were thought to have been conquered long ago, are making a sad comeback. The main reason for the vaccination fatigue: Many adults are simply afraid of a vaccination: Many believe that they will get the disease against which the vaccination is supposed to protect all the more afterwards. And they fear complications and serious secondary diseases. Wrongly so, as numerous reputable, international studies show. The vaccinations certify a lot of benefits and only minor side effects.

What vaccinations do I need as an adult?

The 17 honorary experts of the Standing Vaccination Commission, STIKO for short, at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin advise adults to be vaccinated at least three times in their lives : against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw) and poliomyelitis (poliomyelitis). They also recommend vaccination against whooping cough. Protection against diphtheria and tetanus must be boosted every ten years, and at least one booster shot against polio and whooping cough should be included. Because more and more adults are getting infected with childhood diseases, you should also get vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella as a precaution. As part of the basic immunization, experts recommend vaccination against the dangerous liver infection hepatitis B at least three times in your life. They recommend that people over 60 years of age also get vaccinated against influenza (flu; every autumn) and pneumococci (pneumonia; immunodeficiency every five years). to be immunized. More and more young people are becoming infected with pneumococcal bacteria.

From what age should I get vaccinated?

So far, infectiologists have recommended vaccination from the age of 60 because the immune system of older people is less powerful. But there are more and more voices that recommend an earlier point in time for certain pre-existing conditions. This concerns e.g. B. the five million Germans over the age of 40 who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “Because infections exacerbate the disease, these patients should be vaccinated against pneumococci and influenza as a precautionary measure.”, advises Prof. Tobias Welte, Director of the Department of Pneumology at the Hannover Medical School. As are women and men who have already gone through pneumonia. Because their previous illness only protects against a single pathogen, but the vaccination against 23 different ones. After all, pneumococci cause such serious infections as meningitis and blood poisoning – one more reason to get pricked.

How important is an annual flu shot?

Influenza viruses change rapidly and appear in ever new, life-threatening variants. That is why people who are at risk, in particular, have to refresh their immune protection every year with a newly composed vaccine. They primarily include older people and the chronically ill such as diabetics and asthmatics, as well as heart and kidney patients. There is also an increased risk for pregnant women and anyone who has a lot of contact with people, e.g. B. a bus driver or saleswoman. The flu vaccination is free of charge and co-payment for those with statutory health insurance and builds up protection in around ten days.

Why do some vaccinations need to be boosted and others not?

A survived illness leaves traces in the immune memory. The defense system forms antibodies in order to catch the attacker as quickly as possible in the next attack. Vaccination with live vaccines, e.g. B. against measles, mumps or rubella, has a similar effect to a disease – but greatly weakened and harmless. It therefore does not have to be repeated. In contrast, vaccinations with killed pathogens, e.g. B. against flu, tetanus, pneumococci or rabies, do not have such a lasting effect on the immune system and should be refreshed according to the vaccination recommendations of the STIKO.

Can I get sick from a vaccination?

Although certain vaccines can cause disease-like symptoms, full-blown disease almost never develops with modern vaccines. Nevertheless, fever, nausea or drowsiness as well as swelling and redness at the injection site sometimes occur after a vaccination. However, these are general reactions of the organism that usually subside quickly. They have nothing to do with the infectious disease that was vaccinated against.

How stressful are combination vaccinations for the body?

Combination vaccinations are no more onerous than individual vaccinations. Today’s highly purified combination sera contain only a fraction of the foreign substances that used to be in vaccines. The old whooping cough vaccine z. B. contained around 3000 such foreign substances (e.g. formaldehyde and phenol), all of today’s vaccinations together only 150. The Hamburg specialist in pediatrics Prof. Gerd-Michael Lackmann: “Modern multiple vaccines are well tolerated, and vaccination complications, like us could also prove on the basis of our own investigations, is hardly observed any more.”

Can I get vaccinated if I have a cold?

Yes, even with an elevated temperature of up to 38.5 degrees, there is no reason to postpone vaccination. Vaccination is also allowed during treatment with antibiotics. But: In the case of an acute infection with a higher fever, you should wait at least two weeks.

Can I get a vaccination without a vaccination card?

If you have lost your vaccination card, you can usually get a new one from your family doctor without any problems. The latter can then add the vaccinations that have already been received. It is important that your family doctor is also the one who carried out and documented the previous vaccinations. If you have forgotten your vaccination card, you can simply have your doctor issue a certificate. The health department could also use this to add past vaccinations.

What travel vaccinations do I need?

Basic vaccinations such as tetanus and diphtheria should not be older than ten years. If you want to fly to Africa or India, you absolutely have to refresh your polio vaccination. Many Asian countries require vaccination against yellow fever, which is also recommended on cruises in exotic waters. The inflammation of the liver, hepatitis A, is widespread in southern countries. The vaccination costs around 63.20 euros. Vaccination against typhus is recommended for countries with problematic hygienic conditions. The Travel Medicine Center at the Tropical Institute in Hamburg  or the Center for Travel Medicine in Düsseldorf , offer a precise overview of the most important precautionary measures .

What vaccinations does health insurance pay for?

Statutory health insurance companies cover the costs for all vaccinations recommended by STIKO. Certain vaccinations such as B. against tick-borne encephalitis (FSME), which is transmitted by ticks, they only pay in federal states such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Thuringia or Rhineland-Palatinate. The costs for travel vaccinations are usually not covered. In exceptional cases, a medical certificate can help. Private insurers pay more, so be sure to discuss this beforehand.

Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

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