You got your flu shot, what’s next?

Every year, from September through March, most people are asked by their health care provider if they have received a yearly influenza vaccine. Although we are nearing the end of influenza season, there are other recommended vaccinations you should consider discussing with your health care provider at your next appointment.

The shingles vaccine (Zostavax) protects against shingles, which is a painful rash that is caused by reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox. Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk for developing shingles. Some people have pain that lasts for months, even after the rash has healed; this is called post-herpetic neuralgia. The vaccine reduces the risk of getting shingles by 51 percent and reduces the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia by 67 percent. Protection lasts about five years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults over the age of 60 get a one-time vaccination, regardless of whether you’ve had chickenpox or shingles in the past.

The Td/Tdap vaccines protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease spread through sneezing and coughing that can be deadly to babies. Women should receive a Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy to help protect the baby from whooping cough before they develop an immune system. All members of the family who are going to be directly exposed to the new baby should receive a Tdap booster as well. The effectiveness of Tdap decreases over time; it protects about seven out of 10 people who receive it in the first year and about four out of 10 people four years later, which is why a booster (Td) is recommended every 10 years after a dose of Tdap around age 12.

Two vaccinations are available to prevent pneumonia: Prevnar (PCV13), which protects against 13 different types of pneumococcal bacteria, and Pneumovax (PCV23), which protects against 23 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. The CDC recommends both vaccines for all adults over 65, and those under 65 with certain medical conditions, including weakened immune systems, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease or liver disease. Pneumovax is also recommended for all adults 19 to 64 years old who smoke cigarettes. Prevnar protects about eight out of 10 adults 65 years or older against invasive disease and about five out of 10 against pneumonia. Many believe Pneumovax protects you from getting pneumonia, but the real benefit is that if you get pneumonia, Pneumovax decreases the risk of dying from invasive disease. Pneumovax protects five to eight out of 10 healthy adults against invasive disease.

HPV (Gardasil or Cervarix) is a two- or three-vaccination series that protects against the human papillomavirus, a virus known to cause cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, anal cancer and genital warts. It is recommended for girls and women age 9 through 27 years or boys and men age 9 through 22 years. All HPV vaccines have been found to be near 100 percent effective for prevention of infection, and provide long-lasting protection.

If you’re traveling, you may need additional vaccinations based on the location you’re traveling to. Please be sure to visit with your primary care physician before you head out of town.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 6:30 PM with the headline "You got your flu shot, what’s next?."