A study by pharmaceutical company Glaxo-Smith-Kline showed a steep decline in the number of older adults keeping up with their vaccinations for shingles, tetanus, flu, pneumonia and more.
Family physician Dr. Natasha Bhuyan says 1-in-4 Americans are not familiar with those vaccinations.
"Getting vaccines when your an adult is just as important as when you're a child," Dr. Bhuyan said. "As we get older, our immune systems tend to get weaker."
A recent trend of both new parents and older adults shows a drop in vaccinations across the board, largely thanks to misunderstanding and misinformation about how vaccines work and their impacts on health.
"There is a lot of misinformation out there about vaccines," Dr. Bhuyan said. "The evidence shows vaccines are safe. If you do get an illness, they're able to prevent the severity of illnesses, like hospitalization and even death."
"Not only are you protecting yourself and your loved ones, but you're protecting the entire community around you as well," Dr. Bhuyan said.
And amid the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors fear that without staying up-to-date on vaccinations, we could be in more serious nationwide health trouble.
"It's critical we build up our health and create this community of immunity, so we're not fighting multiple diseases at once," Dr. Bhuyan said.
If you're unsure about what immunizations you should be getting, reach out to your doctor. They can find your medical records, analyze your history and assess things like age and other health factors to determine what you may need.
And if you're concerned about venturing out to the doctor in a COVID-19 world, Dr. Bhuyan suggests calling your doctor's office and ask what steps they're taking to ensure their offices are safe places to receive care. Most physicians offices have developed new sanitization practices, personal protective equipment, virtual visits and even curbside waiting rooms and telehealth sessions to talk about a variety of health issues.