Dr. Vaccines
Vaccines to Take After 30
Childhood immunity does not last forever. This is the decade to find out what has lapsed and what you never had.
Adult vaccination in India is patchy in a specific way: almost everyone completed a childhood schedule, almost nobody has kept up since. By your thirties, tetanus boosters are usually overdue, hepatitis B was often never given if you were born before it entered the routine schedule, and childhood records have long since disappeared.
Thirty is a sensible point to reconstruct that picture, because it is early enough that catching up is straightforward and late enough that the gaps have become real. It is also the age at which many people first need documented immunity for a job, a visa or postgraduate study abroad.
At a glance
| Vaccine or test | Status | Schedule | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Td / Tdap booster | Recommended | Every 10 years, with at least one Tdap | The most frequently overdue adult vaccine. If your last tetanus shot followed a childhood injury, you are well past due. One of those boosters should be Tdap to include pertussis. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended | Three doses at 0, 1 and 6 months | Hepatitis B entered the Indian universal schedule relatively recently, so many adults born earlier were never vaccinated. It is worth completing given the infection can be silent for decades before causing cirrhosis or liver cancer. |
| Influenza (annual) | Recommended | Every year | Worth it for its own sake, and more so if you have young children, older parents at home, or a chronic condition. |
| MMR | Conditional | One or two doses if not immune | Measles outbreaks still occur in adults with incomplete childhood coverage. If records are missing, serology is the quickest way to find out whether you need it. |
| Varicella | Conditional | Two doses if non-immune | Chickenpox is markedly more severe in adults than in children. If you have no clear history of having had it, check. |
| HPV | Conditional | Three doses if within the eligible age | Still licensed into the forties in many settings. Benefit depends on prior exposure, so worth discussing rather than assuming. |
| Hepatitis A | Conditional | Two doses, 6 months apart | Many Indian adults have natural immunity from childhood exposure, which serology can confirm. Recommended for those without it, particularly with liver disease or frequent travel. |
Start with what you actually know
Most people arrive with no records at all. That is normal and not an obstacle. There are two ways forward. For some vaccines, serology tells you directly whether you are immune (MMR, varicella, hepatitis B). For others, such as tetanus, testing is not practical and the simpler answer is to give a booster, which is safe even if you turn out not to have needed it.
Reasons this comes up in your thirties
Beyond general health, several life events tend to force the issue at this age.
- Postgraduate study abroad: universities require documented immunity, not recollection.
- A work visa or overseas posting with a medical requirement.
- A new baby in the family, prompting Tdap for everyone in the household.
- A chronic diagnosis such as diabetes, which changes what is recommended.
- Planned international travel needing typhoid, hepatitis A or yellow fever cover.
What a catch-up actually involves
Usually one consultation, a blood draw if serology is needed, and then a small number of doses spread over about six months, hepatitis B being the longest at 0, 1 and 6 months. Several vaccines can be given in the same visit, so it is fewer appointments than people expect.
Frequently asked questions
Which vaccines should I take after 30?
A Td booster if it has been more than 10 years, with at least one Tdap; hepatitis B if you were never vaccinated; annual influenza; and MMR or varicella if your immunity is uncertain. HPV and hepatitis A are considered individually.
I have no childhood vaccination records. What now?
That is very common. Serology can confirm immunity for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B directly. For tetanus, testing is not practical, so a booster is simply given. It is safe even if you did not strictly need it.
How often do adults need a tetanus booster?
Every 10 years. At least one of those should be Tdap rather than Td, so that pertussis is covered as well, particularly relevant if there is a newborn in the household.
Do adults in India need the hepatitis B vaccine?
Many do. Hepatitis B was added to the universal childhood schedule relatively recently, so adults born earlier often were never vaccinated. Given that the infection can progress silently to cirrhosis or liver cancer, completing the three-dose course is worthwhile.
Can I get several vaccines at once?
Yes, in most cases. Multiple vaccines can be given at one appointment at different injection sites, which keeps a catch-up schedule to a manageable number of visits.
Book an adult vaccination catch-up
Most catch-ups take one consultation, one blood draw if serology is needed, and a small number of doses. Come with whatever records you have, even if that is none.
Before you rely on this page
This page is general health information, not personal medical advice. Vaccine schedules depend on your age, medical history, pregnancy status, medications and previous immunisations. Our doctors will confirm what is right for you at your appointment. National recommendations are also revised periodically. We review these pages against current Indian and WHO guidance.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-01
Related pages
Hepatitis B serology
Hepatitis B Serology Test
Three markers that distinguish current infection, past infection and vaccine-induced immunity, results that are easy to misread.
MMR serology
MMR Serology (Measles, Mumps, Rubella Titre Test)
A single blood test that proves immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. The documentation universities and employers actually ask for.
Travel
Travel Vaccinations
What you need depends on where you are going, how long for, and what you will be doing there. Start six weeks before you fly.
Seniors (60+)
Vaccinations for Senior Citizens
Immunity weakens with age at the same time as infections become more dangerous. These are the vaccines that matter most after 60.