Adult Vaccines News & Features

Survivors of earlier measles outbreaks detail the serious long-term effects they and loved ones have experienced as a result of the once-common childhood disease.

March 14, 2025 — Promising results for the elusive norovirus vaccine, new data on COVID shots, and important findings from the first group of HPV-vaccinated girls: Here’s what to know.

February 19, 2025 — A vaccine for pregnant women protected babies from respiratory syncytial virus, the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States, giving researchers hope for widespread immunity against the disease.

February 18, 2025 — The FDA has approved Vimkunya, a first-of-its-kind shot to prevent the viral disease chikungunya in people 12 and older.

December 11, 2024 — Vaccination can bring more than just one unexpected benefit.

October 24, 2024 — The CDC now says everyone 50 to 64 years old should get a pneumococcal vaccine to help protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.

October 18, 2024 — A large new study says the RSV vaccine is 80% effective at preventing hospitalization in older adults due to complications from the illness, and works just as well at protecting them from death or needing intensive care unit support for severe complications.

October 4, 2024 — The CDC says the influenza vaccine being used this flu season might be less effective than the one used last flu season, based on reports of how well the vaccine is working in five South American countries. Here's what to know.

September 23, 2024 — The FDA has OK'd FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine that you can give and get at home – no health care provider needed. It’s the first flu vaccine of its kind, offering a simple, convenient, needle-free option that its maker hopes will improve access and uptake.

August 7, 2024 — The CDC has published updated recommendations for older adults, detailing who should get vaccinated against RSV. The move comes after concerns were raised earlier this year that the shot may be linked to a heightened risk of a rare nervous system condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome.

July 25, 2024 — The newest shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia better than the older version. Researchers found that Shingrix increased the length of time without shingles by nearly 20%.

June 18, 2024 — There’s a new tool to fight invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults, as the FDA approved Merck’s new vaccine designed to prevent the disorders.

April 18, 2024 — Some people with deep-rooted beliefs on a wide range of health topics – from COVID vaccination to mental health stigma to foods including genetically modified organisms – could be persuaded to rethink their positions.

March 20, 2024 — Only about 30% of adults eligible for Shingrix have gotten it, according to a 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office.

March 6, 2024 — An FDA advisory committee has recommended that the United States switch from a quadrivalent to trivalent influenza vaccine for the next flu season.

March 1, 2024 — The influenza vaccines being used this flu season are 41% to 44% effective in preventing flu-related hospitalization in adults and 52% to 61% effective for children, according to estimates in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report issued Thursday.

February 6, 2024 — People who alternated arms when receiving multiple shots of the COVID-19 vaccine saw an improved immunity response, according to new research.

January 25, 2024 — Researchers found that vaccinating moms reduced the rate of emergency room visits for infants younger than 6 months old by 20% and the rate of hospitalizations by 40%. Vaccinating pregnant women also reduced the risk of babies younger than 6 months from getting the flu by one third.

November 20, 2023 — For people who have gotten a flu shot heading into flu season, there’s good news. This year’s formulation looks like it will be very effective at preventing severe cases and hospitalization. That’s based on how the vaccine performed in the parts of the world where flu season is now wrapping up.

November 10, 2023 — The FDA approved the first vaccine against the chikungunya virus, which is transmitted to humans through infected mosquito bites.

October 26, 2023 — Vaccines for COVID-19 and flu might raise the risk of strokes for older people, especially when given together and to seniors over 85, new research says.

August 22, 2023 — The long-awaited vaccine for RSV that can be given to pregnant people was approved by the FDA on Monday.

June 30, 2023 — The CDC gave a green light this week to two new vaccines to protect against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, in older adults.

June 28, 2023 — The FDA announced on Tuesday that it will "fast track" review of a vaccine in development to prevent gonorrhea infections.

June 22, 2023 — The CDC is urging people to ensure they are vaccinated against measles before summer travel. International travelers are particularly at risk, the CDC said, noting that 88% of all cases in the U.S. so far this year are linked to international travel.

June 9, 2023 — Here's what adults need to know about the recently approved RSV vaccines Arexvy and Abrysvo.

May 19, 2023 — The mpox vaccine distributed during last summer’s mpox outbreak was highly effective at preventing infection, especially when two doses were given, two studies show.

May 18, 2023 — An FDA advisory panel has recommended that the FDA approve an RSV vaccine for pregnant women. The vaccine would be given in the final trimester, with protection from RSV being passed through the placenta to the unborn baby.

May 16, 2023 — A clinical trial to test a universal flu vaccine is under way, based on messenger RNA technology that was behind Moderna’s and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines, the National Institutes of Health announced.

May 4, 2023 — The first of several expected vaccine options for preventing RSV in older adults has been approved by the FDA.

April 25, 2023 — This may be one of the last few summers that people will need to mostly depend on doing tick checks as the best defense against getting Lyme disease. Multiple drugmakers are developing vaccines that could help people avoid the many troubling symptoms of the tick-borne illness.

April 11, 2023 — Vaccines for the world’s most deadly diseases, like cancer and heart disease, will likely be ready by 2030 and could save millions of lives, according to the top doctor at one the world’s leading drug companies.

March 20, 2023 — Three major vaccine manufacturers say they can readily make hundreds of millions of bird flu shots for humans if the H5N1 influenza virus ever makes the jump to infecting people.

March 3, 2023 — An FDA advisory panel has recommended two vaccines to become the first to fight respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older adults. Shots could be made available before the expected winter surge of cases.

January 18, 2023 — Moderna announced that its vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for older adults was 84% effective at preventing at least two symptoms of the illness and 82% effective at preventing at least three symptoms.

The recent malaria vaccine approval is a major step forward in the global fight for health equity but also showcases that socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are at higher risk for virtually all diseases due to lower access and prioritization.

Vaccines can protect you from serious diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, and meningitis. Immunization facts you should know.

Before you pack your bags, find out which shots you need to protect your health when visiting other countries.

Learn how hepatitis A and B vaccines protect you from the viruses that can lead to this liver disease.

WebMD discusses the benefits and side effects of the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

WebMD explains what the HPV vaccine is, who needs to get it, and possible side effects.

WebMD lists the vaccines college students need and answers common questions about the vaccine guidelines for college students.

WebMD talks about who needs a shingles vaccine, when to get it, side effects, and explains more about the vaccine.

Tired of having to get a different flu shot every year -- and sometimes even having to get two? Someday we may have one shot that protects us against all the strains.

Are you up to date on your vaccines? Find out which ones you should be getting as an adult.

The flu vaccine, tetanus boosters, hepatitis shots -- why adults still need vaccinations.

Can therapeutic vaccines cure illnesses we already have -- like HIV, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer?

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that each year up to 50,000 children and adults are hospitalized because of the virus, and that 20 to 40 people die from it.