Are You Due for a Vaccine?

Vaccines prevent an estimated 4 million deaths each year. They’re an incredible tool to help safeguard your health: Vaccines contain dead or weakened antigens of various diseases, which prompt your body to develop antibodies that fight the disease. Those cells remain in your body to combat infection in case you encounter the germ again.

The benefits of being vaccinated can last a lifetime. They’re a key component of good health for all ages, protecting you and those around you by limiting — or in some cases, stopping — the spread of very serious diseases.

While staying current on immunizations may only seem relevant for school-age children, everyone should be sure they’re up to date. Read on to learn the recommended vaccinations by age for infants, kids and adults alike.

Vaccinating Infants and Toddlers

If you’re a first-time parent, you may be surprised to learn that newborns usually get their first round of vaccinations (the Hepatitis B vaccine, for example) before they even leave the hospital and often in their first few hours of life. While watching your baby get shots can be tough, remember your baby’s undeveloped immune system needs all the help it can get.

A few vaccinations only require one dose. Others require additional doses to be given at specific times throughout your child’s developmental years or annually. Some illnesses, such as influenza, require vaccination each year for protection during the flu season. Other vaccines may be timed with your child’s entry into the school system, where they’ll be exposed to more germs.

Your child’s family medicine provider is always a great resource for helping you understand the recommended vaccines and keeping your child on track. The basic recommendations for your child may include:

At 2 Months

• DTaP (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis)
• HepB (Hepatitis B)
• Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine)
• IPV (Inactivated poliovirus vaccine)
• PCV13 (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
• RV (Rotavirus vaccine)

At 4 Months

• DTaP
• Hib
• IPV
• PCV13
• RV

At 6 Months

• DTaP
• HepB
• Hib
• Influenza
• IPV
• PCV13
• RV

At 12 – 15 Months

• Hib
• MMR (Measles, mumps, and rubella)
• PCV13
• Chickenpox (varicella)

At 12 – 23 Months

• HepA (Hepatitis A)

At 15 – 18 Months

• DTaP

Vaccinations for School-Age Kids

Your back-to-school checklist should include vaccinations. Since pediatric offices become swamped in the weeks before school starts, be sure to schedule your school vaccines well enough in advance. During your child’s school years, the recommended vaccinations may include:

At 4 – 6 Years

• COVID-19
• DTaP
• MMR
• IPV
• Varicella

At 11 – 12 Years

• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• Meningococcal conjugate
• Tdap

Vaccinations for Teens

• Meningococcal conjugate
• Meningococcal B vaccine (MenB)

Before teens go to college, they should be current with meningococcal conjugate, MenB, Tdap and HPV vaccines. Meningitis can spread quickly in close quarters (like a dorm), so please be sure to put this on your teen’s college “to-do” list.

Vaccinations for Adults

Even after the series of childhood and teen immunizations, adults may need a booster shot or new vaccination later in life. Vaccinations vary by age and circumstance. For example, if you have a condition that compromises your immune system, you may need additional vaccinations or doses. You should also keep up with your annual flu shot; it’s best to get it in the fall so you’re protected during the most active flu season.

Recommended vaccinations for adults may include:

• HepA
• HepB
• Hib
• HPV
• Influenza
• Meningococcal
• MMR
• PCV13
• Pneumococcal 23 (PPSV23)
• Shingles
• Tdap or Td
• Varicella

Maximizing Whole Health for Children and Adults

Annual updates to immunization schedules for both children and adults offer guidance to health care providers with new recommendations, changes to existing recommendations or clarifications to help with interpreting the vaccine schedules in specific circumstances. The schedules are reviewed by committees of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

As of 2024, the recommended vaccine schedule for both children and adults has been:

• Diphtheria*
• Tetanus*
• Pertussis*
• Measles**
• Mumps**
• Rubella**
• Polio (IPV)
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Hepatitis A
• Pneumococcal
• Influenza
• Rotavirus

*Given in combination as DTaP
**Given in combination as MMR

Protect Your Whole Health

Take the first step toward disease prevention today. Learn more about primary care and schedule a visit with a trusted UChicago Medicine AdventHealth physician to make sure you’re up to date on your recommended vaccines. We want you to stay well in body, mind and spirit for life.