Children, seniors, and travelers to foreign countries need protection with other vaccines. But so do some other people, too.
- Healthcare workers need up-to-date vaccinations. They’re around diseases and infections all the time. They could get sick. They could also spread a disease to patients. All healthcare workers should be vaccinated for influenza each year. Most healthcare workers need a Td booster once every 10 years. A single dose of Tdap vaccine, which is licensed for adults, should replace a Td dose for adults younger than age 65 who have not previously received a dose of Tdap vaccine. Anyone who might be exposed to blood should also get the hepatitis B vaccine. Some healthcare workers may need the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine. Others may need a second dose of the MMR vaccine.
- People with long-term medical conditions often need other vaccines. These groups run more risk of complications if they get respiratory illnesses. Specific groups that need the flu and pneumococcal disease vaccines include:
| Flu (influenza) | Pneumococcal disease |
| • Heart disease |
• Heart disease |
| • Lung disease, including asthma |
• Lung disease, except for asthma |
| • Diabetes |
• Diabetes |
| • Kidney problems |
• Kidney or liver problems |
| • Diseases that affect breathing | • Disorders that affect the spleen, including sickle cell disease |
| • Blood problems |
• Immune diseases, such as HIV/AIDS |
| • Immune diseases, such as HIV/AIDS |
• Patients receiving certain treatments for cancer |
People with medical conditions, or who are going through treatment that suppresses the immune system, may need vaccines for flu, Hib, and pneumococcal disease. (Because their immune system is weak, they should get the shot rather than the nasal spray form of the flu vaccine.) These include:
• HIV/AIDS
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Myeloma
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Organ or bone marrow transplants
• Treatment with chemotherapy
• Long-term treatment with corticosteroids
People on dialysis need the hepatitis B vaccine. Patients with chronic liver disease need the hepatitis A vaccine.
Other special situations
- Women who are pregnant during flu season need the flu shot (not the nasal spray vaccine).
- Vets and animal handlers need the rabies vaccine. Anyone else who works with animals, or who explores caves where animals might live, should get the vaccine, too.
- People living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities should get the flu shot. Healthcare workers, who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids, may need the hepatitis B shot.
- College freshman living in dormitories should be vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
- People who are traveling to or working in countries where hepatitis A is common (see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a list of countries) need the hepatitis A vaccine.
- People who use injected street drugs need to get vaccines for both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
- People in prison should get the hepatitis B vaccine.
- People who have had more than one sex partner in the last six months should get the hepatitis B vaccine. Men, who have sex with men, should get the vaccines for both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
- Anyone in a lab who works with infectious materials could be at risk. He or she might need vaccinations.
- People in the armed forces should stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. They may also need vaccinations for any foreign countries where they serve.
There are many situations that can raise your risk of a disease. A list can’t cover them all. If you’re not sure about your own situation, ask your doctor. He or she can help you decide if you need other vaccines.
Who shouldn’t get vaccines?
Sometimes people should not get vaccines. For instance:
- People who are very ill.
- People who have had a severe, life-threatening reaction to a vaccine should not get the same shot again.
- People should check with their doctor before getting the MMR (measles, mumps, and German measles), chickenpox, yellow fever, and live flu vaccinations if they:
• Received blood or treatment with immune (gamma) globulin recently.
• Have a long-term illness.
• Have a weakened immune system.
• Are pregnant.
If you’re not sure if you need a vaccine, then go to your doctor. He or she will help you figure out what you need.
Note: The 1on1health Web site contains links to third-party Web sites on the Internet. These links are provided as a service to individuals interested in more information. These sites are not part of the 1on1health Web site, a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Web site. The content and materials in these third-party Web sites are not produced or endorsed by GSK, and may refer to uses of our products that are not recommended by GSK. You should always consult with your physician or healthcare professional before using any GSK prescription product.
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