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Adult vaccine schedule: how to check what applies to you

The U.S. adult vaccine schedule starts with age, then changes with health, pregnancy, records, risks and the schedule version used.

Priya Raghavan

By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter

4 min read

The U.S. adult vaccine schedule is a decision process rather than one fixed checklist for every person. CDC guidance starts with age, then calls for a review of medical conditions or other indications, prior doses, dose timing, special situations, and precautions with a vaccination provider.

The published schedules also differ by organization. CDC identifies its July 2, 2025 schedule, amended April 27, 2026, as its current adult schedule under a court-related notice; the American Academy of Family Physicians has adopted a separate 2026 schedule and says it does not endorse the CDC’s 2025 schedules.

How to use the adult vaccine schedule

CDC’s schedule covers people age 19 and older in the United States. Its process is to check the age table, assess medical conditions or other indications, review notes on vaccine types, intervals and special situations, review contraindications and precautions, and check for updated guidance.

  1. Begin with age and vaccination history. CDC’s age table identifies vaccines recommended for adults who meet an age requirement and, where indicated, lack documentation of vaccination or evidence of immunity. Records can affect whether a dose or series is needed.
  2. Review health and other circumstances. CDC directs providers to assess medical conditions and other indications. Pregnancy, immunocompromise, health-care work, travel and other risk factors can affect the recommendation.
  3. Check the notes before setting a date. Schedule notes provide details on vaccine type, doses, intervals and special situations. AAFP defines four weeks as 28 days for calculating intervals and says intervals of at least four months are calculated by calendar months.
  4. Review precautions and contraindications. CDC and AAFP both organize their schedule materials to include this review.
  5. Use a dated schedule. Ask a clinician, pharmacist or other immunization provider which schedule edition and notes they are applying.

Examples in CDC’s adult schedule

CDC lists one influenza vaccine dose annually for adults. For adults 65 and older, its table identifies high-dose inactivated, recombinant or adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccines as preferred.

For tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, CDC lists one Tdap dose followed by a Td or Tdap booster every 10 years. The schedule also lists one Tdap dose during each pregnancy and refers readers to its notes for wound-management details.

Other recommendations depend on age, birth year, immunity or indication. CDC lists MMR as one or two doses depending on indication for adults born in 1957 or later, and it lists varicella as two doses when indicated. For RSV, CDC lists seasonal administration during pregnancy, directs adults ages 50 through 74 to its notes, and lists vaccination for adults 75 and older.

Why an age table is only the first step

CDC’s legend separates recommendations based on age from those tied to an additional risk factor or other indication, as well as recommendations based on shared clinical decision-making. Adults of the same age may therefore have different recommended vaccines or timing.

Pregnancy has schedule-specific entries, including Tdap during every pregnancy and seasonal RSV administration. AAFP’s COVID-19 section also separates adults who are moderately or severely immunocompromised from other adults and says additional doses may be given through shared clinical decision-making.

COVID-19 guidance needs a version check

COVID-19 recommendations are especially dependent on the schedule edition, product history and immune status. The CDC age-table excerpt refers to a 2024–25 vaccine formulation, while AAFP’s adopted schedule provides a 2025–26 framework with separate instructions for adults ages 19 to 64, adults 65 and older, and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

In the AAFP framework, adults 65 and older receive a second listed COVID-19 dose six months after the first, with a two-month minimum interval, in the scenarios it describes. That is an AAFP schedule detail and should not be combined with CDC’s earlier-formula wording.

What to bring to a vaccine appointment

  • Any vaccine record, including dates and product names if available.
  • Information about pregnancy, chronic conditions, immune-suppressing treatment or condition, occupation and planned travel.
  • Questions about which schedule edition is being used and whether updated guidance affects the recommendation.
  • Questions about which doses are age-based, which are tied to an indication, and which involve shared clinical decision-making.
  • The next-dose date and minimum interval if a series is unfinished.

A provider can use the complete schedule tables and notes to apply these checks to an individual record and health situation.

Frequently asked questions

Which adult vaccines are routinely recommended at age 75?

CDC’s age table lists RSV vaccination for adults 75 and older and lists influenza vaccination annually for adults. The complete recommendation can still depend on vaccination history, medical conditions, precautions and schedule notes.

What is the current COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for adults 65 and older?

AAFP’s adopted 2025–26 schedule directs adults 65 and older to receive a second listed COVID-19 dose six months after the first, with a two-month minimum interval, in the scenarios it describes. AAFP separates this guidance from recommendations for younger adults and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

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