Adults 65+: 69% flu vaccination. Adults 18-49: 32%. A 37-point gap separates the most vaccinated from the least vaccinated age groups. Seniors learned something younger adults have not: prevention costs less than regret.
What Is the Vaccination Gap Between Seniors and Younger Adults?
The national goal is 70% vaccination. Adults 65+ nearly meet it at 69%. Adults 75+ exceed it at 80%. But adults 18-49 languish at 32%. Seniors are not vaccinating because they are frail. They are vaccinating because they are wise. Experience taught them what younger adults have yet to learn.
Why Do Seniors Lead in Vaccination Rates?
The 65+ generation did not always lead vaccination rates. They learned through experience. Hospital stays, lost loved ones, and complications taught them what prevention is worth. Their high rates reflect accumulated wisdom, not just higher risk awareness. They invest in prevention because they understand the alternative.
How Can We Close the 37-Point Vaccination Gap?
The infrastructure exists. Vaccines are available at pharmacies, clinics, and workplaces. Common barriers for younger adults include time constraints and the misconception that flu is not serious for healthy adults. But underlying conditions often go undetected. Closing the 37-point gap requires making vaccination as routine for younger adults as it already is for seniors.
The 37-point gap between generations is not destiny. It measures a choice that younger adults have not yet made. Seniors reaching 69% prove what is achievable. Adults 75+ at 80% prove the goal is not just reachable but surpassable. When we treat prevention the way our seniors already do, we turn individual wisdom into community protection.