Stay Current on Vaccinations
The boring intervention with the largest effect size in adult preventive medicine.
What it does
Dismissed in longevity discourse because they're standard care — which is exactly why they matter. The evidence is overwhelming, the effect sizes large, the downside minimal. The adult schedule is unromantic: annual flu, COVID per guidance, Tdap every 10 years, shingles after 50.
Vaccines prime the adaptive immune system to respond rapidly to specific pathogens, preventing infection or attenuating severity. Some also affect chronic inflammation and trained immunity.
What the evidence shows
Overall evidence strength: High certainty
Who it's for, who should skip
Every adult, on the age-appropriate schedule. Influenza annually; COVID per current guidance; Tdap every 10 years; shingles at 50+; pneumococcal at 65+ or earlier with risk factors.
Access & cost
Self-directed — no purchase required.
Last reviewed 27 August 2026.