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Immunizations for Adults

Keep your patients strong. Vaccinate. Fight Flu.

Recommended Schedule and Immunization Standards

The complete list of vaccines and the ages at which adults ought to receive doses of vaccine is called a vaccine schedule.  You can find the immunization schedule for adults here:

The National Vaccine Advisory Committee revised the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice in 2013. Review these new standards and get resources to help implement the standards in order to ensure your adult patients are fully immunized.

Required vs. Recommended in North Carolina

Adults attending college or universities in North Carolina are required to receive certain vaccines.  Otherwise, adults are generally not required to receive vaccinations in North Carolina. Certain exemptions to North Carolina’s Immunization Law are allowed. However, certain vaccines, such as flu vaccine, are recommended for almost everyone.  In addition, certain groups of adults are strongly encouraged to receive vaccines.

Recommendations for Pregnant Women

Vaccines can help keep you and your growing family healthy. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the specific vaccinations you need are determined by factors such as your age, lifestyle, medical conditions you may have, such as asthma or diabetes, type and locations of travel, and previous vaccinations.

In addition, “cocooning” is an indirect level of protection newborns benefit from. The term cocooning means vaccinating anyone that cares for or comes in close contact with babies. A cocooning strategy could include family members, other caregivers (daycare facility workers, nannies, teenage babysitters, etc.), and health care professionals. Cocooning, in combination with getting a whooping cough vaccine during your pregnancy and making sure your baby gets his/her vaccines on time, provides the best protection possible to your baby.

Recommendations for Health Care Workers

Employees of adult care homes are required to be immunized against influenza annually. This protects you and your patients from vaccine preventable disease.

Recommendations for Older Adults

Residents of adult care homes are required to be immunized against influenza annually and pneumococcal disease.

Additional Resources:

 

 


NCDHHS


Updated: August 24, 2022