Catching Up on Vaccines as an Adult: Yes, You Can

Why does catching up on vaccines as an adult matter?

Vaccines missed in childhood leave gaps in your immune defense. Many vaccine-preventable diseases still circulate, and adults are regularly hospitalized with pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, and pneumococcal pneumonia. Getting caught up closes those gaps. It also protects people around you who cannot be vaccinated, such as newborns and people undergoing cancer treatment.

The ACIP adult immunization schedule 1Ref 1Wodi AP, Issa AN, Moser CA, Cineas S (2025).Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older — United States, 2025.Adult catch-up vaccine list, series resumption guidance, and scheduling framework is updated each year and includes explicit catch-up guidance for adults who missed doses earlier in life.

Which vaccines are typically considered for adult catch-up?

The exact plan depends on your individual history, but common catch-up vaccines for adults include 1Ref 1Wodi AP, Issa AN, Moser CA, Cineas S (2025).Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older — United States, 2025.Adult catch-up vaccine list, series resumption guidance, and scheduling framework:

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) — Adults born after 1957 who have no documentation of two doses or a positive immunity blood test may need one or two doses.
• Varicella (chickenpox) — Adults who never had chickenpox disease and never received two doses of vaccine are candidates.
• Hepatitis B — A three-dose series if you were never vaccinated.
• Hepatitis A — Two doses if not previously vaccinated.
• Tdap and Td — A one-time Tdap if you never had it (replaces a Td booster), then a Td or Tdap booster every ten years.
• HPV — Recommended through age 26 for everyone; shared clinical decision-making with a clinician between ages 27 and 45 2Ref 2Meites E, Szilagyi PG, Chesson HW, Unger ER, Romero JR, Markowitz LE (2019).Human Papillomavirus Vaccination for Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.HPV catch-up age thresholds (routine through 26; shared decision-making 27–45).
• Meningococcal vaccines — For adults with certain risk factors.
• Pneumococcal vaccines — Usually prioritized for adults 65 and older, or younger adults with certain conditions 3Ref 3Kobayashi M, Farrar JL, Gierke R, Leidner AJ, Campos M, Tiwari TSP, Marlow M, Wodi AP, Patel M (2022).Use of 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Among U.S. Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2022.Pneumococcal vaccine prioritization for adults 65+ and younger adults with certain conditions.
• COVID-19 and seasonal flu — Ongoing annual or periodic recommendations regardless of past history.

This list is not a prescription — a clinician will match it to your actual situation.

What happens at a catch-up visit?

A clinician will start by asking what records you have. If you have a childhood immunization card, bring it. If records are lost — which is common — they may check your state's immunization registry (IIS), or order a blood test (serology) to see if you already have immunity to measles, chickenpox, or hepatitis B. Based on what they find, they will prioritize which vaccines make sense to get first.

You do not have to restart full series for vaccines you may have had some doses of — most series can be resumed from where they left off 1Ref 1Wodi AP, Issa AN, Moser CA, Cineas S (2025).Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older — United States, 2025.Adult catch-up vaccine list, series resumption guidance, and scheduling framework.

Does getting vaccines later in life still work?

For the vast majority of vaccines, yes. Immune systems in healthy adults respond well. Some vaccines do generate a slightly different immune response in older adults — this is one reason formulations like high-dose flu or pneumococcal vaccines are designed specifically for people 65 and older 3Ref 3Kobayashi M, Farrar JL, Gierke R, Leidner AJ, Campos M, Tiwari TSP, Marlow M, Wodi AP, Patel M (2022).Use of 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Among U.S. Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2022.Pneumococcal vaccine prioritization for adults 65+ and younger adults with certain conditions. But late vaccination is almost always better than no vaccination. A clinician can explain what level of protection to realistically expect for each vaccine you need.

Where can I go to catch up?

A primary care provider is the ideal starting point because they can review your whole health picture and order any confirmatory blood tests. Many pharmacies also offer common adult vaccines (flu, COVID-19, Tdap, shingles, pneumococcal) without an appointment and can bill most insurance plans.

Community health centers and local health departments often offer low-cost or no-cost catch-up vaccination clinics as well. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover recommended adult vaccines at no out-of-pocket cost under preventive care.