On Jan. 21, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report the percentage of adults age 65 and older who had an influenza vaccine in the past 12 months and the percentage who ever had a pneumonia vaccine were lower in 2024 (67.1% and 64.7%, respectively) compared with 2019 (70.5% and 67.0%, respectively).

Older adults face higher risks of certain diseases because immune systems tend to weaken with age, and they also are more likely to have other underlying health conditions. The majority of deaths from flu and pneumonia occur in adults age 65 and older.

Vaccination prevents illness and serious complications from these diseases. This report uses 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to present the percentage of adults age 65 and older who had an influenza vaccination in the past 12 months as well as the percentage who ever had a pneumonia vaccination, by trends over time and selected sociodemographic characteristics.

This report describes the percentage of adults age 65 and older in 2024 who had an influenza vaccine in the past 12 months (67.1%) as well as the percentage who ever had a pneumonia vaccine (64.7%), by selected sociodemographic characteristics using data from the 2024 NHIS. The percentage of adults age 65 and older who had an influenza vaccine in the past 12 months and the percentage who ever had a pneumonia vaccine were lower in 2024 compared with 2019.

Women were more likely than men to have ever received a pneumonia vaccine, but no significant differences were seen by sex for receipt of an influenza vaccine. White adults were more likely than Black and Hispanic adults to have received an influenza vaccine in the past 12 months and also to have ever had a pneumonia vaccine. For both vaccines, the percentage vaccinated increased as family income increased.