National Immunization Awareness Month

Washington, D.C. – National Immunization Awareness Month is the perfect time to promote immunizations and remind family, friends, and coworkers to get caught up on their shots.

Immunizations (or vaccinations) aren’t just for babies and young kids. We all need shots to help protect us from serious diseases and illness. Everyone age 6 months and older needs a seasonal flu shot every year. Here are some other shots people need at different ages:

Young Children

• Children under age 6 get a series of shots to protect against measles, polio, chicken pox, and hepatitis.

Pre-teens and Teens

• Pre-teens need shots at age 11 or 12 to help protect them from tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, meningitis, and HPV (human papillomavirus).
• Teens need a booster shot at age 16 to help protect them from meningitis.

Adults

• All adults need a booster shot every 10 years to protect against tetanus and diphtheria.
• People age 65 or older need a one-time pneumonia shot.
• Talk to your doctor or nurse about which shots you and your family need.