Some people need to be vaccinated again in adulthood.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Giving vaccines in childhood serves to protect children from various dangerous diseases. Some childhood vaccines can provide protection into adulthood, even for life.
“Every childhood vaccination is unique and has a certain duration of protection,” said Amesh A Adalja MD, an infectious disease expert from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. PreventionAhad (7/8/2022).
There are quite a few types of vaccines given in childhood. The following is the duration of protection provided by some childhood vaccines:
– Hepatitis A: 20 years
– Hepatitis B: more than 30 years
– Rotavirus: 2-3 years
– Haemophilus influenzae (Hib): unknown
– Pneumococci: 5 to 10 years
– Polio: unknown
– Diphtheria: 10 years
– Tetanus: 10 years
– Whooping cough (pertussis): 5 years
– Chickenpox (varicella): 10 to 20 years
– Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): potentially lifelong
– HPV: 10 years
– Meningitis: 5 years
– Flu: 6 months
Indeed, not all childhood vaccines can provide lifelong protection. However, Dr Adalja said lifelong protection was not necessary for certain infections. After the period of risk of infection has passed, it does not matter if the body no longer has protection against the infection.
Dr Adalja said the most important thing is to give childhood vaccines to children according to a predetermined schedule. Dr Adalja said childhood vaccines and vaccination schedules are designed to protect the body at its most vulnerable times.
“If you follow the recommendations, then you should be fine,” replied Dr Adalja.
The following is the recommended age for childhood vaccines according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
– Hepatitis A: 12-15 months
– Hepatitis B: at birth, 1-3 months, 6-15 months
– Rotavirus: 2 months, 4 months
– Haemophilus influenzae (Hib): 2 months, 4 months, 12-15 months
– Pneumococci: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12-15 months
– Polio: 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, 4-6 years
– Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP): 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, 4-6 years
– Chickenpox: 12 to 15 months, 4 to 6 years
– Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): 12-15 months, 4-6 years
– HPV: 2-3 injections, starting from 9 years old
– Meningococcal: 11-12 years, 16 years
– Flu: 6 months, then yearly
Despite being called childhood vaccines, Providence Saint John’s Health Center pediatrician, Daniel Ganjian MD, reveals that some adults may need to get some of these vaccines in adulthood. Usually, this is related to the risk of the work they do.
“Some high-risk jobs require an increased number of vaccinations than others,” explains Dr Ganjian.
One example of a high-risk job is the army. Dr Ganjian revealed that soldiers likely need more vaccines than civilians who don’t do military work.
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