Changes include universal vaccination against hepatitis B for all adults aged 19 through 59 years and for at-risk older adults
FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The recommended immunization schedule for adults has been updated for 2022 and was published online Feb. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine and in the Feb. 18 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Neil Murthy, M.D., M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues present the changes and updates to the 2022 adult immunization schedule.
According to the guidelines, there are no changes to recommendations for the Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis A vaccines, while notes were added to other vaccines, including human papillomavirus vaccination. For hepatitis B, universal vaccination is recommended for all adults aged 19 through 59 years and for adults aged 60 years or older at high risk for hepatitis B virus infection. Recommendations for influenza vaccine for the 2021 to 2022 season include routine annual vaccination for all persons aged 6 months and older who do not have contraindications, with no preferential recommendation for one influenza vaccine product over another. Routine vaccination is recommended against pneumococcal infection for all adults aged 65 years or older with one dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)15 or PCV20; if PCV15 is used, it should be followed by a dose of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine-23. Those aged 19 through 64 years with certain underlying medical conditions or other risk factors should also be vaccinated.
“Providers should implement strategies to catch up all patients on any overdue vaccines,” the authors write. “Routine immunization services remain critical during the COVID-19 pandemic as they prevent disease in individuals, families, and communities.”
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