As flu and COVID season approaches, there have been recent changes to vaccine recommendations for people over 50 years old.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently lowered the employment age. pneumonia vaccines around 15 years old.

Instead of recommending the pneumococcal vaccine to those aged 65 and over, the vaccine is now suggested from the age of 50.

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“Everyone over the age of 50 should think about vaccines, because as we age, our immune systems can become more vulnerable,” said Dr. Susannah Hills, a surgeon and assistant professor at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, at Fox News Digital.

When choosing which vaccines to receive, it is also important to consider personal risk, she said.

The CDC recently lowered the pneumonia vaccination age by 15 years, from 65 to 50. (iStock)

“Are there any health conditions like diabetes, immunodeficiency or cancer? If so, getting vaccinated becomes even more important. »

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To help people 50 and older follow vaccination advice appropriate for their age group, Fox News Digital gathered insights from several infectious disease experts.

1. Flu vaccine

The CDC recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every year, including people age 50 and older.

Dr. Jennifer Dunphy, a public health A doctor in Los Angeles, California, noted that the flu vaccine is known to significantly reduce deaths and hospitalizations (by 40% to 52%) among those 50 and older.

“Everyone over the age of 50 should think about vaccines… As we age, our immune systems can become more vulnerable.”

“It is recommended to get vaccinated in late summer, preferably in September, before the weather changes and viruses become more common,” she told Fox News Digital.

Common side effects include body aches and a mild fever, the doctor noted.

The flu vaccine is known to significantly reduce deaths and hospitalizations (by 40% to 52%) among those 50 and older, one doctor noted. (iStock)

“In some cases, there are very rare but more serious side effects that can impact the nervous system,” Dunphy said.

“The benefits of the vaccine for most people over 50 will outweigh the risks, but it is recommended to talk to your doctor“.

2. COVID-19 vaccine

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive an updated vaccine annually, usually in the fall before the end of October.

The agency also advises people 65 and older to receive a second dose of the vaccine.

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“Along with influenza and RSV, COVID is part of a triad of respiratory viruses that lead to high rates of hospitalization and death among older adults, with increased risk seen with age,” said Dr. Amy Edwards, infectious disease expert at UH Rainbow Babies. and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

For the COVID-19 vaccine, it is recommended that people receive two full doses spaced at least three weeks apart, followed by annual boosters, a doctor said. (iStock)

For the Covid-19 vaccineIt is recommended that people receive two full doses spaced at least three weeks apart, followed by annual boosters, according to Dunphy.

The boosters are designed to be effective against the most current strain of the virus, she said.

“The COVID vaccine aims to increase the development of antibodies that fight against exposure turning into infection and against the transition from infection to severe infection,” she said.

“Side effects vary, but are mostly limited to mild, flu-like symptoms“.

Some serious side effects have been associated with COVID vaccines, including anaphylactic shock, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart), according to the CDC.

3. Pneumococcal vaccine

The pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine is recommended for children under 5 years of age and adults 50 years of age or older.

This is an update to previous guidelines, which called for vaccination of adults 65 and older.

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This unique vaccine is designed to protect against bacterial infections that can cause pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis.

The agency recommends giving one of three available vaccines – PCV15, PCV20 or PCV21 – to all adults 50 or older who have never received a vaccine. pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or who are unsure of their vaccination history.

“The rate of hospitalization and death from pneumonia increases at age 50 and then dramatically at age 65,” Edwards told Fox News Digital.

“The rate of hospitalization and death from pneumonia increases at age 50, then dramatically at age 65,” one doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“Typically, adults are advised to receive a single dose, but some adults at higher risk may receive a dose every five years.”

Side effects from this vaccine are generally minimal, she noted.

According to the CDC, fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, or redness, swelling, pain, or tenderness at the injection site are some possible side effects.

4. Tdap vaccine

The Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine helps protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

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Whooping cough, more commonly known as whooping cough, spiked in the United States in 2024, with more than five times the cases reported during the same period last year.

“All adults should receive the tetanus vaccine every 10 years because it provides the longest protection,” Edwards advised.

Most doctors agree that it is OK to receive the COVID and flu vaccines at the same time. (iStock)

“Pertussis vaccination is sometimes recommended for some older people, especially those who will spend time with very young children (grandchildren), because infants are at very high risk of dying from whooping cough. »

The most common side effects after a Tdap vaccination include mild fever, headache, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and pain, swelling or redness at the injection site, said the CDC.

Adults should discuss with their doctor whether this vaccine is necessary.

5. Shingles vaccine

Adults 50 and older are recommended to receive two doses of Shingrix, the shingles vaccine, two to six months apart, according to the CDC.

The vaccine protects against a disease called herpes zoster, more commonly known as shingles.

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The infection causes a painful rash caused by varicella zoster viruswhich can cause nerve damage, chronic nerve pain and sometimes brain inflammation, according to Edwards.

“Shingles becomes more common every decade after age 50,” she said.

Adults 50 and older are recommended to receive two doses of Shingrix, the shingles vaccine, two to six months apart, according to the CDC. (iStock)

“This vaccine tends to be rather brutal, with high rates of fever and body aches,” Edwards warned.

“Many people who have received both say the shingles vaccine is as bad or worse than the mRNA COVID vaccines, in that it makes you feel bad for a day or two afterward.”

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The shingles vaccine is currently given as a single dose for life, with no booster shots recommended later in life for people vaccinated around age 50, Edwards noted.

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Experts agree that it is best for each person to discuss a vaccination plan with his attending physician.

Hills added: “Some people may be more at risk and may need to receive these vaccines sooner or other vaccines as well.”