Teens & Vaccines
In your preteen and teen years, you're learning how to make decisions for yourself and for your health. Decisions you make now can have lasting impacts!
Learn the facts about vaccines. Talk with your parents and doctor about getting the vaccines you need to stay healthy now and throughout your life.
What vaccines are recommended for preteens and teens?
So glad that you asked!
There are four vaccines recommended for preteens. These vaccines can prevent very serious diseases like meningitis and HPV cancers. At 11-12 years old, preteens should receive vaccines to protect them from the following diseases:
- Meningococcal disease (MenACWY) (one dose)
- HPV (two doses)
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis) (Tdap) (one dose)
- Influenza (Flu) (every year)
Teens 13-18 years old are recommended to get these vaccines:
- Influenza (Flu) (every year)
- Meningococcal disease
- Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) given at 16 years old (2nd dose)
- Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) may be given, preferably at 16 through 18 years (2 doses) (Note: If you're interested in being vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, talk to your parents and your doctor.)
You can also take a look at the full immunization schedule for 7-18 year-olds. Share it with your parents, too! If you have any questions, talk with your parents and your doctor about the vaccines recommended for your age. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for some adolescents.
Immunizations on Social Media
Follow IKC on Instagram!
Get trustworthy vaccine info and updates straight to your social feed. Share IKC content to make sure your followers, friends, and family have the facts about vaccines.
Other Instagram accounts to follow:
@teensforvaxx
@unityconsortium
@strongerorg
@vaxteen
Learning about Vaccines: Resources to Explore
- The Vaccine Makers Project: Where Learning is Infectious
- Middle School Lessons: Inescapable relationships between humans and germs and how scientific understanding progresses over time
- High School Lessons: Human immune system, disease, vaccination, biomedical research, and understanding and assessing the quality of scientific information
- Vaccines for Children and Adolescents: Lessons and Activities from Baylor University
- Unity: United for adolescent vaccination
- IKC Module: Protecting Kansans with Immunization
Vaccine Info: Fact vs. Fiction
Resources to Answer Common Questions from IKC
Social Media: A Handy Guide to Sharing Responsibly from Indiana Immunization Coalition
How to Spot Misinformation from Stronger.org