YORK, Pa. — Adults over 50 could need a number of vaccines to protect themselves, from flu, shingles, hepatitis, pertussis and more. Every year, about 50,000 adults in our country die and thousands more suffer from diseases that could have been prevented with one of those vaccines.
The numbers are so low, doctors are ordering up to 60 percent less than the normal amounts for some vaccines. So why is this happening? Obviously COVID-19 has not helped and even though rates have gotten worse, they were already down. The survey looked to find out why. It interviewed 3,000 adults ages 50-79 and 300 primary care physicians. The survey found that while adults say vaccines are important to maintain their health, many have never heard of or are unfamiliar with the specific vaccines recommended for their age group.
That lack of awareness is why experts say the only way to curb this problem is to call your doctor to find out what you need or may have missed during recent stay-at-home orders.
For a full list of vaccine-preventable adult diseases, check out the Center's for Disease Control and Prevention's website here.