8 Vaccines Women Need After 50

Along with healthy eating and regular exercise, vaccinations are an important part of staying well in middle age and beyond. Vaccines help protect against bacterial and viral infections and may lower the risk of severe symptoms and death from these diseases. Many vaccines are available at no cost for people with Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, and some vaccine manufacturers offer discount programs for people paying out of pocket. Because the immune system gets weaker with age, keeping up-to-date with the following vaccines is especially important for women over 50.

The shingles virus is caused by reactivation of the varicella (chickenpox) virus later in life. Shingles can cause severe rash, nerve pain, blindness, hearing loss, and death. The shingles vaccine is recommended for people over 50 and requires two doses given two to six months apart. If you’ve already had shingles, the vaccine can protect against future infections. If you’re currently experiencing shingles, you should wait until later to get the vaccine. Talk to your doctor about the best time to get your first dose.

The flu vaccine protects against the flu virus and related problems including pneumonia, worsening of heart or lung disease, and death. If you become infected with the flu after getting the flu vaccine, you may have a lower risk for severe symptoms and hospitalization. Experts recommend getting the flu vaccine once per year in September or October before “flu season” starts. If you’re 65 or older, the preferred flu vaccines are the high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV3), the recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV3), or the adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (aIIV3), but another type can be used if those are unavailable.

The COVID-19 vaccine can prevent infection and complications such as pneumonia, long COVID, blood clots, organ damage, and death. Several different types of the COVID-19 vaccine are available for adults. For people up to age 64, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended per year. If you’re 65 or older, you should receive two doses about six months apart. Women with weakened immune systems may need additional doses. If you experienced a heart condition called myocarditis or pericarditis within three weeks after a previous COVID-19 vaccine, you should not receive the vaccine again.

Pneumococcal vaccination protects against bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, strep throat, meningitis, and other conditions. You should get this vaccine if you’re 50 or older and have never received it or don’t know if you’ve gotten it before. People with certain medical conditions, such as alcoholism, heart or lung disease, or diabetes, may need to get the pneumococcal vaccine before age 50. Depending on the type of pneumococcal vaccine you get, it may be given as a one-time dose or you may need a second dose one year later.

RSV usually causes mild cold-like symptoms in adults but can lead to pneumonia, hospitalization, and death in severe cases. The risk for severe illness due to RSV is highest in older adults, people with chronic health conditions, and those living in nursing homes. The CDC recommends a one-time RSV vaccine for everyone aged 75 and older and for people aged 50 to 74 who have risk factors for severe RSV illness. In most parts of the United States, the best time to get an RSV vaccine is in late summer or early fall.

The combined Tdap vaccine protects against bacterial infections that can lead to breathing problems, seizures, brain injury, heart failure, coma, and death. You will need three doses if you have never gotten the Tdap vaccine before, and everyone should get a booster dose every 10 years. If you’ve experienced a severe reaction to a previous Tdap vaccine, or if you have a neurological disorder that isn’t well-controlled, you may need to delay or avoid getting this vaccine.

The hepatitis A and B viruses can cause liver failure and death. The hep B vaccine is recommended for all adults through age 59 and for those 60 and over with increased risk for hep B, including those with HIV, chronic liver disease, or injection drug use, and sexually active people who aren’t in monogamous relationships. The hep A vaccine is also recommended for people with the risk factors above. The hep A vaccine may be given in two doses, and the hep B vaccine may be given in two or three doses. If you get a combined hep A and hep B vaccine, you’ll receive  three or four doses.

Additional vaccinations women 50 and up should consider include:

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) for those born after 1957 who have not received the vaccine.
Meningococcal vaccine for those with conditions that weaken immunity, such as HIV infection.
Mpox vaccine for people with certain risk factors, such as women with a male partner who also has sex with men.
Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for people who have not received it and have never had chickenpox.