What is a Booster Shot?

A booster shot, or booster vaccine, is a vaccine that is used to help secure immune protection against an illness that a person may have either already been vaccinated for or previously acquired immunity for. Booster shots are often recommended for adults who are at risk of certain illnesses, depending on the individual’s age, occupation, lifestyle choices, or health status.

The Necessity of Booster Shots

Booster shots are usually recommended by a doctor or pediatrician after the initial round of vaccinations is given. The initial round of vaccinations helps the body build up its immunity to a particular illness while the booster shot helps ensure that the body stays protected against that same illness over time. Booster shots are important because they maintain a person’s protection against a particular illness. It is important to get booster shots as they can leave a person unprotected and vulnerable to serious diseases if not taken.

Types of Booster Shots

The kind of booster shot that a person may need depends on the vaccine that the person received initially and their age. All adults, regardless of their age, are recommended to get a booster shot of tetanus and diphtheria every 10 years and to get a dose of pertussis/Tdap every 10 years. Other common adult booster shots include the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, shingles vaccine, lung cancer vaccine, and HPV vaccine.

Booster shots provide a safe and effective way to protect a person from various diseases. While many people are familiar with the importance of getting their initial doses of vaccines, it is also important to stay up to date on the recommended booster shots. By getting and staying up to date on their booster shots, adults can be sure that their bodies will be adequately protected against the various illnesses that booster shots are designed to guard against.