Vaccines are essential for people with health conditions such as liver disease. We recommend talking to your doctor about these vaccinations below.
Hepatitis A and B
To protect your liver from extra injury, your doctor should check if you are immune (already have protection) to hepatitis A and B viruses. If not, you should receive these vaccinations.
Influenza
The yearly flu shot is also recommended. If you receive this, it is important that you get the injection (inactivated vaccine), not the nasal spray (live vaccine).
COVID-19
The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone who does not have an allergy to any of the vaccine components.
Zoster
If you’re 50 or older, you can get the Zoster vaccine to prevent shingles. Please note that people who are on immunosuppression cannot take live vaccines. The Shingrix vaccine is not a live vaccine and so can be used by people who are taking immunosuppressive medication.
Pneumococcal polysaccharide
This vaccine protects you against serious pneumococcal diseases.
Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
Protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough
HPV (Human papillomavirus)
If you’re an adult between the ages of 27 and 45, you can get the HPV vaccine to protect yourself from malignancies and genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus. HPV vaccine isn’t advised for everyone over the age of 26; however, some adults between the ages of 27 and 45 who haven’t had the vaccine yet may opt to receive it after discussing with their doctor about their risk for new HPV infections and the potential advantages of vaccination. HPV vaccine is less effective in this age group because more persons have already been exposed to HPV.
MRR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
If you were born in 1957 or later and have not received this vaccine or have not developed antibodies to these diseases, you should get the MMR vaccine.
Varicella
If you were born in 1980 or later and have not had two doses of the varicella vaccine or do not have immunity to chickenpox, you should get it.
