Vaccinations aren’t just for children, they are as important for adults too. There are different vaccines that are recommended for adults, depending on our age, life stage (e.g. an expectant mother), susceptibility, and medical conditions.
We all know by now that COVID-19 vaccines have an important role to play in preventing severe illness and death. But you may not be as familiar with some of the other vaccines recommended for adults. If you don't know what vaccine to get, don't fret. The National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS) provides vaccination recommendations to help you make an informed decision on the vaccines you need.
Read on for four reasons why you should get vaccinated, as well as the common vaccines recommended in the NAIS. The NAIS includes the age guideline for when you need to get the different vaccines.
Four Reasons to Get Vaccinated
1. Protect yourself
As responsible adults, we take care of our health by eating right and exercising often. It is just as important for us to get the recommended vaccines that protect us from different diseases and conditions.
Vaccinations for adults offer protection against common infectious diseases including influenza (flu), pneumococcal disease which can cause pneumonia (a serious bacterial infection of the lungs), COVID-19, and human papillomavirus (HPV) which can lead to cervical cancer.
While most healthy adults tend to recover from the flu, the same illness can be life-threatening to the elderly, those who have co-morbidity (concurrent medical conditions) or are immunocompromised (people with weakened immune systems). The influenza, pneumococcal vaccines in particular are especially beneficial to people aged 65 and above, or any adult with weakened immune system or certain medical conditions. For protection against pneumococcal disease, you only require 1 dose of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20), or 1 dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and/or 1 or more doses of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), depending on age or medical conditions. For protection against the flu, you will require a dose every year during the flu season.
HPV vaccinations are recommended for the prevention of cervical cancer and all adult females to receive it by age of 26 years old for the most effective protection. COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended for individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals aged 6 months and above, as well as residents of aged care facilities.
2. Protect your family and friends
Vaccines aren't only for your protection. By reducing your chance of becoming infected, they also protect the people closest to you, especially those who are at higher risk of developing complications from certain diseases (e.g. flu, pneumonia or COVID-19), such as young children and the elderly.
For example, pertussis, or whooping cough, can be deadly in babies. But they are not eligible for vaccines which help build immunity until they are two months old. Getting vaccinated against pertussis during pregnancy will help protect the baby by passing the mother's antibodies to the baby before birth.
Older adults are also more likely to develop complications should they catch an infectious disease — one reason is that their immune system doesn't work as well as it used to. Seniors aged 65 and older are more likely to develop pneumonia as a result of a flu virus or a pneumococcal bacterial infection. Pneumonia caused by both flu and pneumococcal can cause a serious lung infection that can be life-threatening or take weeks to recover.
If you have a loved one who is 65 or older, share the importance of getting vaccinated against flu and pneumococcal disease with them.
If you live with seniors over the age of 65, receiving your yearly flu vaccination will provide protection for them too because it decreases your chance of becoming infected.
3. Vaccines are subsidised and Medisave claimable
To help pay for adult vaccines recommended under NAIS, MediSave500/700 and Flexi-MediSave (for seniors 60 years old and above) are available for use. For the newest additions to the NAIS, i.e. the PCV20 and recombinant herpes zoster vaccine (RHZV), MediSave may be used from mid-2026. Examples of those who are eligible for the flu and pneumococcal vaccinations subsidies are those aged 65 years old and above, and adults with specific medical conditions. Click here for more information on subsidies available, other vaccine-preventable diseases and frequently asked questions.
If you need the vaccines but need financial help you can also approach medical social workers at polyclinics and public healthcare institutions.
4. It’s convenient
As adults, we are all busy with our work, family and personal commitments. It's understandable that taking preventive measures for our health might not be a priority. Fortunately, getting vaccinated is easy in Singapore!
Individuals enrolled under Healthier SG are encouraged to discuss with your Healthier SG provider whether you are suitable for these vaccinations and receive your vaccination with your enrolled clinic. If you are not enrolled and are eligible for enrolment (40 years and above), please visit your preferred Healthier SG clinic to enrol and receive vaccinations at your Healthier SG clinic. If you are not eligible to enrol under Healthier SG, you may book a vaccination appointment at any participating CHAS GP clinic by clicking here. Should you prefer to get vaccinated during your next visit to a polyclinic, please inform the polyclinic staff during that visit.
Vaccines to Protect You Against 12 Diseases
Based on the recommendations of the National Expert Committee on Immunisation, the NAIS recommends vaccinations for various adult groups to protect against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.
The vaccinations are:
- Influenza
- Pneumococcal (PCV20/PCV13/PPSV23
- Shingles (recombinant herpes zoster vaccine)
- Human papillomavirus (HPV2)
- Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap)
- Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
- Hepatitis B
- Varicella (chicken pox)
Other vaccinations that you should consider getting are:
- Meningococcal Vaccine
- Hepatitis A
- Yellow Fever Vaccine
- Rabies Vaccine
- Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine
- Typhoid Vaccine
- COVID-19
You should not get vaccinated if you have had a severe allergic reaction after a previous vaccination or have allergies to specific vaccine components. Talk to your doctor about your specific medical history to understand the best option for protecting yourself.
Vaccinate, Don’t Procrastinate!
All adults are encouraged to take the recommended vaccinations recommended for their age group in the NAIS. Getting vaccinated against preventable diseases is one of the best decisions you can make to protect your health.
Prevent what's preventable! Talk to your doctor if you have concerns. All GPs are able to advise you on your suitability for any of the recommended vaccines. Don't forget to share this information with your family members too!
To learn more about travel vaccinations, click here.
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Contributed By
- Communicable Diseases Agency