adolescent vaccines
Are you 11 - 19 years old? Then you need to be vaccinated against these serious diseases!
Many people between the ages of 11 and 19 think they are done with their vaccinations. They think vaccinations are just for little kids. But guess wa ht? There are millions of people between the ages of 11 and 19 who need vaccinations to prevent whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, influenza, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, and human papillomavirus infection. Are you on of them?
Getting immunized is a lifelong, life-protecting job. Make sure you and your healthcare provider keep your immunizations up to date. Check to be sure you've had all the vaccinations you need.
- Hepatitis B - You need a series of doses of hepatitis B vaccine if you have not already received them.
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) - Check with your healthcare provider to make sure you've had two doses of MMR
Tetanus, diphtheris, pertussis (whooping cough) (Tdap, Td) - You need a booster dose of Tdap at age 11-12 years. If you're older and already had a Td booster, you should get a Tdap shot to get extra protection for pertussis. After that you will need a Td booster dose every ten years.- Polio - If you haven't completed your series of polio vaccine doses and you are not yet 18, you should complete them now.
- Varicella (Var) (chickenpox shot) - If you have not been previously vaccinated and have no had chickenpox, you should get vaccinated against this disease. The vaccine is given as a 2-dose series. Any adolescent who was vaccinated as a child with only 1 dose should get a second dose now.
- Hepatitis A (Hep A) - Many teens need protection from hepatitis A. Do you travel outside the United States? Do you live in a community with a high rate of hepatitis A? Are you a male who has sex with other males? Do you use
illegal drugs? Do you have a clotting factor disorder or chronic liver disease? Or, do you just want to be protected against hepatitis A? Talk to your healthcare provider about this 2-dose series of shots. - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - All adolescent girls should get a series of 3 HPV shots, preferably at age 11-12 years, to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts. If you've missed these shots and are 26 years old or younger, you should get vaccinated.
- Influenza - Do you have a chronic health problem such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, etc.? Vaccination against influenza is especially recommended every fall for people with chronic diseases. Anyone who wants to avoid getting influenza should get vaccinated each year.
- Pneumococcal disease (pneumococcal shot) - Do you have a chronic health problem? Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should receive a pneumococcal shot.
- Meningococcal disease - All 11-12 year olds, teens about to enter high school (or at about age 15), and older teens who are college bound and planning to live in a dormitory should get vaccinated against meningococcal disease. People with certain medical conditions should also receive this vaccine.