Most Filipinos think vaccines are only for children. That's a myth — and a costly one. Adults need vaccines throughout their lives, both to maintain immunity from childhood vaccines and to protect against diseases that become more dangerous with age. Skipping adult vaccines can leave you — and the people around you — vulnerable.
Adults Need Vaccines Too
Immunity from some childhood vaccines fades over time. New vaccines have been developed that weren't available when you were young. And some diseases, like shingles and pneumonia, become far more serious in adults — particularly those over 50 or with chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
Vaccination in adults also protects those around you — newborns too young to be vaccinated, elderly relatives with weakened immune systems, and people on cancer treatment who cannot receive live vaccines.
Flu Vaccine (Annual)
Influenza ("the flu") is not just a bad cold — it can lead to pneumonia, hospitalisation, and in vulnerable people, death. The flu virus changes every year, which is why the vaccine is reformulated and updated annually.
Who needs it: Everyone 6 months and older, ideally every year before the wet season (June–July in the Philippines).
Especially important for: Adults 65+, pregnant women, people with chronic conditions (diabetes, asthma, heart disease), healthcare workers, and teachers.
Common concern: "The flu vaccine gave me the flu." This is impossible — the vaccine contains inactivated virus. Mild arm soreness for 1–2 days is normal.
Pneumonia (Pneumococcal Vaccines)
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a serious bacterial infection of the lungs. Two vaccines protect adults against it:
- PCV15 or PCV20: Newer conjugate vaccines; one dose recommended for adults 65+
- PPSV23: Polysaccharide vaccine; may be given after PCV in some circumstances
Who needs it: All adults aged 65 and above. Adults aged 19–64 who smoke or have chronic lung, kidney, liver, or heart disease; diabetes; or a weakened immune system.
Schedule: Usually a single dose of PCV20 at age 65. Discuss timing with your doctor if you also need PPSV23.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is spread through blood and body fluids and can cause chronic liver disease and liver cancer. The Philippines has one of the highest rates of Hepatitis B in Asia.
Who needs it: Any adult who was not vaccinated as a child, or who does not know their vaccination history. Also recommended for healthcare workers, people with multiple partners, household contacts of carriers, and those with liver disease or diabetes.
Schedule: 3 doses — initial dose, then at 1 month and 6 months. A combined Hepatitis A and B vaccine is available and may simplify the schedule.
How do I know if I'm protected? A simple blood test (HBsAb) checks your immunity. If your antibody level is low, a booster may be needed.
HPV Vaccine
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer, anal cancer, throat cancer, and genital warts. The HPV vaccine is highly effective — but it works best before exposure to the virus.
Who needs it: Ideally girls and boys aged 9–14 before sexual activity begins. The HPV vaccine is now recommended up to age 45 for adults not previously vaccinated — discuss with your doctor.
Schedule: Two doses for those starting at age 9–14; three doses for those starting at 15 or older.
Important: The HPV vaccine does not replace Pap smear screening for women. Both are needed.
Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td / Tdap)
Tetanus ("lockjaw") is a potentially fatal infection from bacteria found in soil, dust, and animal faeces. It enters through wounds and cuts. Diphtheria is a serious throat infection. Both are preventable with the Td booster.
Schedule: A booster is recommended every 10 years for all adults. If you've never had the Tdap vaccine (which also protects against whooping cough), get one dose of Tdap, then switch to Td every 10 years.
Extra dose for: Pregnant women (one dose of Tdap each pregnancy to protect newborns), and after a deep wound or animal bite.
COVID-19 Booster
COVID-19 vaccines remain an important tool, particularly for older adults and those with health conditions. Immunity from the original vaccine series wanes over time, and updated boosters are formulated to match newer variants.
Current recommendation: An updated COVID-19 booster once a year is recommended for adults 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals, and those with chronic conditions. Discuss timing with your doctor based on your health status and recent vaccination history.
Shingles (Zoster Vaccine) — Age 50+
Shingles is a painful rash caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus (Varicella-Zoster Virus). If you had chickenpox as a child — or even if you're unsure — the virus lives dormant in your nervous system and can reactivate decades later, often triggered by stress or a weakened immune system.
Shingles can be intensely painful. A serious complication is postherpetic neuralgia — burning nerve pain that can last for months or years.
Who needs it: All adults 50 and older, including those who've had shingles before or who had the older live shingles vaccine.
Vaccine: The recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) requires two doses, 2–6 months apart. It is over 90% effective at preventing shingles and its complications.
Adult Vaccine Schedule by Age
| Vaccine | 19–49 years | 50–64 years | 65+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influenza (Flu) | 1 dose annually | 1 dose annually | 1 dose annually (high-dose) |
| COVID-19 Booster | Per DOH guidance | 1 updated dose / year | 1 updated dose / year |
| Td/Tdap | Td every 10 yrs; 1 Tdap dose | Td every 10 yrs | Td every 10 yrs |
| Hepatitis B | 3-dose series if unvaccinated | 3-dose series if unvaccinated | Discuss with doctor |
| HPV | Up to age 45 if unvaccinated | — | — |
| Pneumococcal (PCV) | If high-risk condition | If high-risk condition | 1 dose PCV20 |
| Shingles (Zoster) | — | 2-dose Shingrix series | 2-dose Shingrix series |
| Hepatitis A | 2 doses if unvaccinated / travel | As needed | As needed |