CDC releases new adult vaccine guidelines amid peak flu season

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines this week for adults on influenza, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines.

This comes as Mid-Missouri is in the middle of peak flu season with nearly 200 confirmed cases of the flu in Cole County through Jan. 28 and 570 cases in Boone County through Feb. 4.

One Jefferson City teacher told ABC 17 News she was concerned about catching the flu this time of year, especially since she is constantly around young children.

“I’m a classroom teacher and my children are falling one right after the other right now,” said the woman, who asked that her name not be revealed. “And so, we do a lot of hand washing. We do a lot of talking about covering up your nose, covering up your mouth.”

Although adults are not required to get immunizations like children are to attend school, local health officials said it was just as important for adults to stay up to date on their shots.

“Immunizations are not just for children,” said Jaime Young, the communicable disease coordinator for the Cole County Health Department. “Protection from some childhood vaccines can wear (off) over time. And as we age, sometimes we’re also at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases that we weren’t necessarily at risk for as a child.”

The new guidelines give adults more options for influenza vaccines, especially those who may have egg allergies, according to Young.

As ABC 17 News has reported, the guidelines also recommend using the injectable flu vaccine rather than the nasal mist, which has shown to be less effective.

Healthy adults are recommended to get two doses of the HPV vaccine instead of three, if the series is started before the age of 15.

And individuals with chronic liver disease are now recommended to get the hepatitis B vaccine to protect themselves from liver infection.