Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites and can be spread from person to person. Common infectious diseases in older adults include the common cold, the flu (influenza), COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pneumococcus (pneumonia), varicella zoster (shingles), and more.

These diseases can cause serious complications, especially in people with weakened immune systems like older adults since our immune systems decline as we age, and we are more likely to have other diseases or conditions that can make it harder to fight off infection.

It’s important to help stop the spread of infectious diseases by isolating when we’re sick, frequent handwashing, masking, and getting all of our recommended vaccinations. Vaccines play an important role in protecting our health and the health of our families and communities. They are one of our best defenses against many infectious diseases and have saved millions of lives.

You may think of vaccination as something only children need, but all adults also need to be vaccinated to protect their health and the health of their loved ones. Some vaccines you got when you were younger may have worn off, there are diseases like shingles and pneumonia that we are at higher risk for as we age, and some vaccines like the influenza (“flu”) vaccine and COVID-19 vaccines that are updated annually to best defend against a constantly changing virus. Your job, lifestyle, health status, or travel may require additional vaccinations. 

Once you get vaccinated, you are less likely to get sick, which means you are less likely to get others sick. The more people who are vaccinated, the fewer opportunities a disease has to spread. So getting your recommended vaccines not only protects you, but also protects the people around you, such as infants who are too young to be vaccinated or people with weakened immune systems.

Vaccines are safe and rigorously tested before approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also monitor vaccine safety and effectiveness once they are in use. Most side effects from vaccines are mild and go away on their own. Severe side effects are rare.

You can get vaccinated at your healthcare professional’s office, neighborhood pharmacy, health departments, community health clinics, and even at some workplaces. Most health insurance plans cover the cost of recommended vaccines.

While vaccines make you less likely to get sick and make complications less severe, they don’t prevent all illness. Luckily, there are antivirals available for some infectious diseases caused by viruses—such as COVID-19 and influenza (flu). These antivirals help the body fight the virus and make the illness less severe. They need to be taken shortly after infection so it’s important to contact your healthcare professional right away if you are feeling sick. Learn more about anti-viral medications here.