Shalini, New Delhi: They say that prevention is the best cure! For most of us, getting vaccinated or immunised against a disease was a childhood affair, but when was the last time you got immunised as an adult?

Consultant of Internal Medicine at Apollo hospital, Dr Suranjit Chatterjee says, "Getting vaccinated does not end for you when you are five years old. There are many diseases that you grow prone to as an adult and could be prevented with vaccination."

The vaccines that are available range from simple ailments like common cold, influenza to potentially life threatening diseases like community acquired pneumonia, that affects some 35 per cent of adult Indians every year.

AIIMS professor, Dr Randeep Guleria says, "The irony is that many of these diseases can be prevented. We do not have to bear the disease burden, yet we are bearing it because in our country, the concept of Adult Immunisation Program (AIP) is completely absent from its universal national immunisation program."

Doctors advise three vaccines for senior citizens — tetanus, influenza, pneumonia. As an adult, you can also get vaccinated against Influenza and Hepatitis A and B. Experts say you must go in for immunisation if you are over 50, suffer from a chronic illness such as lung, heart or liver disease or pulmonary ailment, or have diabetes, among other conditions.

One shot each will cost anywhere between Rs 200 to Rs 1,500. Remember that vaccines used for children are different from vaccines that are administered to adult, even though if it's against the same disease. So the best way to go about it is by recommendation from your doctor.