Immunizations

Many adults don’t keep up with immunizations, opening the door to contagious diseases that can cause severe illness and serious complications. Seth Sullivan, MD, in New Canaan, Connecticut, can help protect you from contagious diseases by giving you the immunizations you need for your age and risk factors. To get expert advice about immunizations and learn if you need a booster or vaccines for conditions affecting adults, call the concierge medicine office of Seth Sullivan, MD, or request an appointment online today.

Why do I need immunizations?

Immunizations protect you from contagious diseases that make you ill or cause life-threatening complications, a problem that you’re more likely to face as you get older.

When you get an immunization, your immune system learns to identify the harmful pathogen (bacteria or virus). If you’re exposed to that pathogen in the future, your immune system quickly responds, sending out specialized cells to destroy or neutralize the problem.

In addition to keeping you healthy, immunizations are essential for keeping contagious diseases under control. Conditions like measles and mumps are rare in the United States, but they haven’t disappeared. Pathogens cannot spread when most people in the community get immunized.

What immunizations do adults need?

Adults need immunizations because new contagious diseases arise, old diseases mutate, and new vaccines may be developed that weren’t available during their childhood. Or maybe you didn’t get the full round of vaccinations when you were young and need to catch up now.

You may need immunizations to protect you from:

• Seasonal flu
• COVID-19
• Shingles
• Pneumonia
• Hepatitis A and B
• Meningococcal disease
• Chickenpox
• Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough)
• Measles, mumps, and rubella
• Human papillomavirus (before age 26)

Some immunizations are only given to adults because the risk of getting certain diseases increases as you get older.

Do I need immunizations before I travel?

If you plan to travel outside the United States, you may need immunizations. The specific shots you need depend on which country you plan to visit. Dr. Sullivan stays up-to-date with the recommendations for travel vaccinations, so he can let you know which shots you need before leaving the country.

Do immunizations protect against heart disease?

Immunizations can’t prevent heart disease, but they can protect you from contagious illnesses that weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart attacks.

Getting your annual flu shot is important because older adults who get the flu are six times more likely to have a heart attack compared to those who don’t get the flu. 

Some diseases prevented by immunizations, such as shingles, diphtheria, and whooping cough, can also lead to heart problems. For example, the diphtheria toxin damages your heart, and getting shingles increases your risk of a heart attack by 59%. 

To learn if you need immunizations or if it’s time for your annual flu shot, call Seth Sullivan, MD, or request an appointment online today.