Chickenpox |
Varicella |
Two doses
- Dose 1: 12 to 15 months old
- Dose 2: 4 to 6 years old
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Chickenpox is an incredibly contagious virus that spreads through direct and airborne contact.
Chickenpox can cause infected blisters, bleeding disorders, brain swelling (encephalitis), lung infection (pneumonia), and death. |
Vaccination is over 99% effective at preventing chickenpox. |
Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the chickenpox vaccine are:
- Sore arm, redness, or rash at injection site
- Fever
- Allergic reaction (rarely)
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Before the vaccine, chickenpox made over 4 million people sick every year.
This vaccine has reduced disease cases by over 97%. In 2017, there were only 8,297 cases of chickenpox.
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HPV |
Human Papillomavirus |
Two or three doses depending on age when first dose is given.
- Before 15th birthday, two doses recommended:
- Dose 1: 11 to 12 years old
- Dose 2: 6 to 12 months after Dose 1
- After 15th birthday, three doses recommended:
- Dose 1: when possible
- Dose 2: 1 to 2 months after Dose 1
- Dose 3: 6 months after Dose 1
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HPV is an incredibly common virus that spreads easily through intimate skin-to-skin contact. People of all genders can get HPV and spread it to others.
Most people with HPV don’t show any symptoms and don’t realize they have it. For some people, the virus can cause painless growths or lumps around the genitals (genital warts).
Some types of HPV can cause cancer, most commonly cervical cancer in women and mouth/throat cancer in men.
In the U.S., at least 35,900 people get cancer caused by HPV each year.
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Vaccination prevents over 90% of cancers caused by HPV. |
Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are:
- Soreness, redness or swelling at injection site
- Fever or headache
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Since HPV vaccination was first recommended in 2006, infections with high-risk HPV types have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women. |
MMR |
Measles, Mumps, Rubella |
Two doses
- Dose 1: 12 to 15 months old
- Dose 2: 4 to 6 years old
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Measles is a very contagious disease with symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and rash that starts on the face and moves down the body (3-5 days after first symptoms start.) About 1 in 5 people with measles become hospitalized. In severe cases, it can cause brain swelling (encephalitis), lung infection (pneumonia), complications in the brain 7-10 years after infection, and death.
Mumps usually involves pain and swelling in the salivary glands. Other symptoms include trouble talking, chewing, earache, and fever. In rare cases, mumps can cause inflammation of tissue surrounding the spinal cord (meningitis), brain swelling (encephalitis), swelling of testicles or ovaries, deafness, and death.
Rubella is a contagious viral disease. Common symptoms include low-grade fever, sore throat, and rash. It can be especially dangerous for pregnant women, sometimes causing miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, and birth defects.
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Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles and rubella, and 88% effective against mumps.
Vaccinated people who get mumps have much milder symptoms.
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Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the MMR vaccine are:
- Sore arm or redness at injection site
- Fever
- Mild rash
- Temporary pain and joint stiffness
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Before vaccination was available, 3 to 4 million people got measles every year in the U.S. This led to 48,000 hospitalizations, 1,000 cases of brain swelling (encephalitis), and 400 to 500 deaths a year. Since the introduction of vaccine in 1963, measles cases have reduced by 99%.
Since the mumps vaccination program began in 1967, mumps cases have decreased in the U.S. by 99%.
Before the rubella vaccination program began in 1969, rubella was a common and widespread infection in the U.S. Today, fewer than 10 U.S. cases are reported each year.
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Hepatitis A |
Hep A |
Two doses
- Dose 1: 12 to 23 months old
- Dose 2: 6 months after Dose 1
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Hep A is a highly contagious liver infection that’s spread through contaminated feces. It can cause mild to severe illness.
Symptoms rarely show in children. However, some may develop:
- Yellowing of their skin or mucous membranes (Jaundice)
- Loss of appetite
- Upset stomach
- Throwing up
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Dark urine
- Light-colored stools
- Diarrhea
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
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Vaccination is nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease. |
No serious side effects have been reported from the Hepatitis A vaccine. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. |
Since the vaccine was first recommended in 1996, cases of Hepatitis A in the United States declined dramatically. |
Hepatitis B |
Hep B |
Three doses
- Dose 1: at birth
- Dose 2: 1 to 2 months old
- Dose 3: 6 to 18 months old
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Hep B is a liver infection that spreads through bodily fluids like blood, semen, and others.
Some people are only sick for a few weeks, while others can develop chronic or lifelong infection.
Children are often asymptomatic. However, they may develop:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Clay-colored stool
- Joint pain
- Yellowing of their skin or mucous membranes (jaundice)
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Vaccination is nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease. |
No serious side effects have been reported from the Hepatitis B vaccine. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. |
Since the vaccine was first recommended in 1996, cases of Hepatitis B in the United States declined dramatically. |
Rotavirus |
Rotavirus |
Two doses or three doses, depending on the brand*
- Dose 1: 2 months old
- Dose 2: 4 months old
- Dose 3: 6 months old
*Rotarix=two doses
RotaTeq=three doses
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Rotavirus is a contagious disease spread through oral contact with infected objects, food, or hands. It's especially dangerous for infants and young children.
Children infected by rotavirus can develop:
This may cause dehydration resulting in:
- Decreased urination
- Dry mouth and throat
- Dizziness
- Crying with few or no tears
- Unusual sleepiness or fussiness
- Death
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7 out of 10 babies who complete a rotavirus vaccine series are protected from all rotavirus infections. 9 out of 10 are protected from severe rotavirus. |
Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the rotavirus vaccine are:
- Irritability
- Mild/temporary diarrhea or vomiting
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The vaccine has reduced rotavirus hospitalizations and death in babies and young children. Before the vaccine, rotavirus was the leading cause of severe diarrhea in this age group.
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DTaP/Tdap |
Tetanus, Diphtheria,
Pertussis (Whooping Cough) |
Five doses (three doses plus two boosters) NOTE: The childhood vaccine is referred to as DTaP. The adolescent/adult vaccine is referred to as Tdap.
DTaP
- Dose 1: 2 months old
- Dose 2: 4 months old
- Dose 3: 6 months old
- Dose 4: 15 to 18 months old
- Dose 5: 4 to 6 years old
Tdap
- Preteens 11 to 12 years old should get an additional Tdap vaccine to boost immunity.
- Pregnant people should also get a Tdap vaccine in the beginning of the 3rd trimester to protect babies from whooping cough in the first few months of life.
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Diphtheria is a highly contagious respiratory and skin disease.
Respiratory diphtheria spreads through direct or airborne contact with bacteria. It can cause weakness, sore throat, mild fever, swollen glands in the neck, and gray coating in the nose and throat.
Diphtheria skin infections spread through infected open sores.
More serious complications include swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, and death.
Tetanus is a bacterial disease that occurs when skin wounds get infected with Clostridium tetani, a bacteria found in soil, dust, and manure. Tetanus can be very serious, causing difficulty swallowing and breathing, muscle spasms, lockjaw, broken bones, and death.
Pertussis is an extremely contagious bacterial disease that spreads through direct or airborne contact. Infected babies may turn blue or purple and struggle to breathe, whereas teens may show milder symptoms similar to a common cold. Teens who haven’t been vaccinated may have more severe coughing fits and health implications later in life including lung infections (pneumonia) and death.
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Studies show when children get all 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine on schedule, it fully protects about 98% of them in the first year after the last dose. After 5 years, it protects about 71%.
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Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the DTaP vaccine are:
- Soreness or swelling at injection site
- Fever
- Fussiness
- Feeling tired
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Rarely, seizures, non-stop crying, or high fever over 105°F may occur
The most common side effects of the Tdap vaccine are:
- Pain, redness, or swelling at injection site
- Mild fever
- Headache
- Feeling tired
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomachache
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Diphtheria used to be a major cause of illness and death among children. Thanks to the vaccine, it’s now nearly unheard of in the U.S.
Before the tetanus vaccine, states reported between 500 and 600 cases each year. Today, tetanus is uncommon in the United States, with an average of 30 reported cases a year.
Before the pertussis vaccine, 200,000 children got sick and up to 9,000 died each year in the U.S. After the vaccine was introduced, whooping cough cases reached an all-time low in the 1970s.
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Hib |
Haemophilus Influenzae
Type B |
Three or four doses depending on the brand*
- Dose 1: 2 months old
- Dose 2: 4 months old
- Dose 3: 6 months old*
- Dose 4: 12 to 15 months old
Babies younger than 6 weeks old should not get the Hib vaccine.
*PedvaxHIB=three doses (the third dose at 6 months old is skipped in this case).
ActHIB, Hiberix, Pentacel, Vaxelis= four doses
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Hib is a contagious bacterial disease that mainly spreads through airborne or direct contact. It can also enter the blood, causing severe infections.
The infection can stay in the nose or throat showing no symptoms. However, more serious symptoms can occur, including infection of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), intellectual disability, life-threatening infection that can block the windpipe and lead to serious breathing problems (epiglottis), lung infection (pneumonia), and death.
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Vaccination is at least 93% effective at preventing the disease.
Vaccinated people who do get sick have much milder symptoms.
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Most children experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the Hib vaccine are:
- Fever
- Redness, warmth, or swelling at the injection site
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Before vaccination was available, this disease made 20,000 people sick a year.
The vaccine has reduced cases by 99%.
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Pneumococcal |
Invasive Pneumococcal
Disease |
Four doses
- Dose 1: 2 months old
- Dose 2: 4 months old
- Dose 3: 6 months old
- Dose 4: 12 to 15 months old
In certain situations, children 2 to 18 years old may need additional doses.
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Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection that spreads through direct or airborne contact.
The bacteria can remain in the nose and throat causing no symptoms. However, if bacteria enters the bloodstream, it can cause stiff neck, fever, headache, eye sensitivity to light, confusion, lung infection (pneumonia), infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), and death.
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Vaccination is 75% effective against vaccine-type IPD. |
Most children experience minor or no side effects. Some common side effects of the pneumococcal vaccine are:
- Redness, swelling, pain, or tenderness at the injection site
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability
- Feeling tired
- Headache
- Muscle aches or joint pain
- Chills
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Since the introduction of the vaccine, invasive pneumococcal disease has decreased by 95% in children under 5 years old. |
Polio |
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), Poliomyelitis |
Four doses
- Dose 1: 2 months old
- Dose 2: 4 months old
- Dose 3: 6 to 18 months old
- Dose 4: 4 to 6 years old
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Polio is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. It spreads person to person through contact with contaminated feces.
Most infected children don’t show any symptoms. However, some experience flu-like symptoms in the first 2-5 days of infection.
In serious cases, it can cause infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), paralysis or weakness of the arms and legs that may be permanent, and death.
Children who are not vaccinated against polio, behind on the recommended vaccination schedule, or traveling to countries with higher polio risk should refer to the accelerated vaccine schedule.
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Two doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) are 90% effective or more against paralytic polio; three doses are 99% to 100% effective. |
Most children experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) are:
- A sore spot with redness, swelling, or pain at the injection site
Polio was once one of the most feared diseases. Thanks to vaccination, wild poliovirus has been eliminated in the United States.
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Polio was once one of the most feared diseases. Thanks to vaccination, wild poliovirus has been eliminated in the United States. |
Meningococcal |
Meningococcal |
Two doses (one dose plus booster) NOTE: The MenACWY vaccine protects against meningococcal bacteria A, C, W, and Y. The MenB vaccine protects against meningococcal bacteria B.
MenACWY
- Dose 1: 11 to 12 years
- Booster: 16 years old
Children between 2 months and 10 years old may need to get the MenACWY vaccine if they are higher risk.
MenB
- Teens, preferably 16 to 18 years old, may get a MenB vaccine.
Certain preteens and teens should get the MenB vaccine if they are higher risk.
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Meningococcal disease is any illness caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. It’s spread person-to-person through saliva.
Illnesses caused by these bacteria are often severe and deadly, causing infections of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream infections (septicemia).
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The meningococcal vaccines available in the U.S. have all been shown to produce an immune response, suggesting the vaccines provide protection. However, data is limited on the level of effectiveness. |
The most common side effects of the MenACWY vaccine are:
- Redness or soreness where the vaccine was given
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Tiredness
The most common side effects of the MenB vaccine are:
- Redness, soreness, or swelling at the injection site
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Muscle or joint pain
- Fever or chills
- Nausea or diarrhea
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The vaccine has decreased rates of all meningococcal disease types in the United States. |
Flu |
Influenza |
Dose 1 at 6 months old, then once a year after Dose 1.
DOH recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone aged six-months and older, including pregnant and nursing people.
It’s best to get vaccinated in September or October before flu season starts. However, vaccination should continue throughout the season as long as flu viruses are circulating.
Depending on the individual, doctors may recommend additional doses per year.
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Influenza is a contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs that spreads through airborne or direct contact with the virus. It can be especially dangerous for older people, young kids, pregnant people, and people with certain health conditions. Common symptoms include:
- Fever or feeling feverish/chills (not everyone with the flu will have a fever)
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children)
Serious complications include infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, and death.
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The flu vaccine can prevent getting sick with the flu entirely or reduce the severity of illness.
While vaccine effectiveness varies year to year, recent studies show vaccination reduces the risk of flu by 40% to 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine.
Because the influenza virus and vaccine are constantly changing, it’s important to get vaccinated every year.
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Most people experience minor or no side effects. The most common side effects of the flu vaccine include:
- Soreness, swelling, and redness at the injection site
- Fever
| A recent study estimated that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-related ER and urgent care visits by almost half and hospitalizations by more than a third among U.S. adults during the 2022-2023 season.
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COVID-19 |
Coronavirus |
One or two doses
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine.
Children aged 6 months to four years may need multiple doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date and should include at least 1 dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
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COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms similar to a cold, flu, or pneumonia. Appearing 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, symptoms may include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but those with certain conditions can experience severe illness, chronic illness, or death.
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CDC data shows that people who received the updated COVID-19 vaccine were 54% less likely to get COVID-19 during the four-month period from mid-September to January.
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Some people experience no side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine; however, many people do. Side effects are normal signs your body is building protection against COVID-19. Common symptoms include:
- Soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea
In extremely rare cases with specific groups of the population, more serious side effects such as anaphylaxis or inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) can occur. To date, evidence indicates that the benefits of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risk of myocarditis.
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From December 2020 through November 2022, it’s estimated that the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program prevented more than 18.5 million additional hospitalizations and 3.2 million additional deaths.
While the virus has not been completely eradicated, the COVID-19 vaccine dramatically improved the national health emergency, officially ending it in the U.S. on May 11, 2023.
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RSV |
Respiratory Syncytial Virus |
One dose
NOTE: there are two RSV antibody products that can help prevent severe RSV disease in infants and young children: nirsevimab (Beyfortus) and palivizumab (Synagis).
nirsevimab is recommended for:
- Children younger than 8 months born during RSV season or entering their first RSV season
- Some children aged 8 through 19 months who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season
palivizumab use is limited to:
- Some children younger than age 24 months of age with increased risk for severe RSV disease may need a dose once a month during RSV season
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RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization. Appearing 4 to 6 days after getting exposed to the virus, symptoms may include:
- Runny nose
- Less appetite
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Wheezing
Some adults can get an RSV infection and not have any symptoms. Very young babies may only have the following symptoms:
- Irritability
- Decreased activity
- Eating or drinking less
- Difficulty breathing
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Early data shows nirsevimab is 90% effective at keeping infants from being hospitalized with RSV.
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The most common side effects of the RSV vaccine include:
- Pain
- Redness and swelling at injection site
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Muscle or joint pain
Serious neurologic conditions, including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), have been reported after RSV vaccination in clinical trials of older adults. It is unclear whether the vaccine caused these events.
Preterm birth and high blood pressure during pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, have been reported among pregnant people who received RSV vaccine during clinical trials. It is unclear whether these events were caused by the vaccine.
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While data is still being collected, early trials have shown promising results in reducing RSV infections, which currently cause 50,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations and 100 to 300 deaths in children under 5 years old each year.
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