Which Vaccines Do I Need?

• COVID-19 Vaccine: Everyone 6 months and older is recommended to receive at least 1 dose of the updated  COVID-19 vaccine. People with weakened immune systems are recommended to receive at least two age-appropriate doses of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months (minimum interval 2 months) apart; May receive additional doses based on discussions with their healthcare provider or if previously unvaccinated.
  • Persons not previously vaccinated should receive 3 doses of the updated mRNA (Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna) or 2 doses of updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine
  • Persons who previously received an original Novavax, monovalent or bivalent mRNA vaccine need 1 or 2 doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine depending on the number of prior doses.
• Flu Vaccine: You should get this every year, especially in the fall, to reduce the risk of getting the flu. If you're 65 or older, or 18 -64 and have a received an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive medication, ask your provider about the high-dose recombinant or adjuvanted flu vaccine.
• RSV: For people aged 75 and older, one dose protects against severe illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). One dose of RSV is recommended for adults aged 60-74 who are at higher risk of severe RSV, such as immunocompromised individuals. Infants under 8 months old should receive a single dose of nirsevimab (Beyfortus) before or during the RSV season (October through March) to protect them from severe RSV disease. Infants and children 8 to19 months of age who are at high risk for severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season should also receive one dose of nirsevimab.
• Pneumonia Vaccine: This vaccine protects against several types of pneumococcal bacteria that can cause serious infections in children and adults. The 4-dose childhood series is recommended before age 5. Recommendations for older children and adults, may be accessed here.

How Do I Get Vaccinated?

• Visit your health care provider or pharmacy.
• Ask your health care provider if additional doses are recommended for you.
• If you don’t have a provider, go to public health vaccination sites for a list of free and low-cost vaccination clinics and more information about vaccines.
• The best part is you can get most vaccines at the same visit!

Vaccines are recommended at different stages throughout your child’s life, carefully timed to protect children when they are most vulnerable to diseases and when the vaccine will produce the strongest response from the child’s immune system.

All recommended vaccines have been carefully studied and safely prevent diseases, like measles, mumps and chickenpox. They have been thoroughly tested to make sure they provide your child with more protection than if they were unvaccinated..

For maximum protection, infants and toddlers should stay up to date on all their vaccines. This is especially important during fall and winter, when children typically spend more time together indoors, increasing the risk of spreading respiratory illnesses, such as flu, COVID-19and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

What Vaccines Should My Child Get?

These vaccines are recommended for infants and toddlers, administered between birth and six years old, to protect from 15 potentially deadly infectious diseases:

• DTaP Vaccine: A 5-dose series is recommended, beginning at the age of 2 months, to protect against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, which are especially dangerous for infants.
• Hepatitis B Vaccine: A 3-dose series, beginning at birth, is recommended to protect against Hepatitis B, which can cause fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, jaundice and long-term health complications.
• Polio Vaccine: A 4-dose series, when started at 2 months of age, can prevent polio, a disease resulting in sore throat, fever, nausea and paralysis.
• MMR Vaccine: Two doses are recommended, the first at 12 to 15 months old and the second at 4 to 6 years old, for the most protection against these easily transmittable diseases: measles, mumps and rubella (German measles).
• Chickenpox Vaccine: Two doses are recommended, the first at 12 to 15 months old and the second at 4 to 6 years old, to protect against varicella, which can cause rash, fever, infected blisters, brain swelling and/or pneumonia.
• Flu Vaccine: One dose is recommended annually for most children 6 months old and older. Some children may need two doses. Your health care provider can recommend the best dosing to protect against influenza, which can result in fever, muscle pain, extreme fatigue and respiratory infection.
• Covid-19 Vaccine: The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for children 6 months old and older. Vaccines offer protection from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C), a risk associated with COVID-19 infection in children.  Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up-to-date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Not previously vaccinated: should receive either 2 doses of updated Moderna, or 3 doses of updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Previously received some mRNA doses: need 1 or 2 doses of updated Moderna or updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, depending on the number of prior doses.
  • Previously up to date: need 1 dose of the updated Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
  Children ages 6 months–4 years should receive all vaccine doses from the same manufacturer (eg all Pfizer or all Moderna) unless the product is unavailable or there is a contraindication.
• RSV Immunization: Infants under 8 months old who are born during or entering their first RSV season (October through March) should receive one dose of nirsevimab to protect against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes pneumonia and bronchiolitis in young infants. Infants and children 8- to 19-months-old who are at high risk for RSV and entering their second RSV season should also receive one dose.
• Rotavirus (RV) Vaccine: A 2- to 3- dose series, beginning at the age of 2 months, to protect against this virus that can result in severe diarrhea, fever, vomiting and dehydration.
• Haemophilus influenzae Type b Vaccine (Hib): A 3- to 4- dose series, beginning at 2 months of age, that provides protection against bacterial infection which can result in meningitis, severe breathing problems and pneumonia.
• Pneumococcal Vaccine: A 4-dose series, beginning at age 2 months, that provides protection against multiple bacteria that can cause a pneumonia infection, affecting the lungs.
• Hepatitis A Vaccine: Two doses given, between 12 and 23 months of age, spaced at least six months apart, to protect against Hepatitis A. This can result in fever, loss of appetite, jaundice and long-term liver, kidney or blood disorders.

How Do I Get My Child Vaccinated?

• Talk to your child’s pediatrician/primary health care provider about vaccines.
• If you don’t have a provider, go to public health vaccination sites for a list of free and low-cost vaccination clinics and more information about vaccines.
• The best part is you can get most vaccines at the same visit! It means less discomfort for your child, and you will spend less time away from your other activities.