Insights from The Orlando Senior Help Desk: Vaccines for older adults

As you get older, a health care provider may recommend vaccinations, also known as shots or immunizations, to help prevent or curtail certain illnesses.

Talk with a doctor or pharmacist about which of the following vaccines you need.

Flu - Flu is short for influenza. It is a virus that can cause fever, chills, sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, and muscle aches. Flu is very serious when it gets in your lungs. Older adults are at a higher risk for developing serious complications from the flu, such as pneumonia. Flu is very contagious.

Pneumonia - Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection th...