COVID-19 Vaccination
ACIP recommends the use of COVID-19 vaccines for everyone ages 12 and older within the scope of the Emergency Use Authorization for the particular vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines may be administered on the same day. See the COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information page for additional information about COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States.
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them
| Disease | Vaccine | Disease Spread By | Disease Symptoms | Disease Complications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | Varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox. | Air, direct contact | Rash, tiredness, headache, fever | Infected blisters, bleeding disorders, encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs) |
| Diphtheria | Tdap* and Td** vaccines protect against diphtheria. | Air, direct contact | Sore throat, mild fever, weakness, swollen glands in the neck | Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death |
| Hepatitis A | HepA vaccine protects against hepatitis A. | Direct contact, contaminated food or water | Maybe no symptoms, fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), dark urine | Liver failure, arthralgia (joint pain), kidney, pancreatic, and blood disorders |
| Hepatitis B | HepB vaccine protects against hepatitis B. | Contact with blood or body fluids | Maybe no symptoms, fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), joint pain | Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer |
| Human Papillomavirus | HPV vaccine protects against human papillomavirus. | Direct skin contact | Maybe no symptoms, genital warts | Cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, oropharyngeal cancers |
| Influenza (Flu) | Flu vaccine protects against influenza. | Air, direct contact | Fever, muscle pain, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue | Pneumonia (infection in the lungs) |
| Measles | MMR*** vaccine protects against measles. | Air, direct contact | Rash, fever, cough, runny nose, pink eye | Encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death |
| Meningococcal Disease | MenACWY and MenB vaccines protect against meningococcal disease. | Air, direct contact | Sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck, dark purple rash | Loss of limb, deafness, nervous system disorders, developmental disabilities, seizure disorder, stroke, death |
| Mumps | MMR*** vaccine protects against mumps. | Air, direct contact | Swollen salivary glands (under the jaw), fever, headache, tiredness, muscle pain | Meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (brain swelling), inflammation of testicles or ovaries, deafness |
| Pertussis | Tdap* vaccine protects against pertussis. | Air, direct contact | Severe cough, runny nose, apnea (a pause in breathing in infants) | Pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death |
| Polio | Polio vaccine protects against polio. | Air, direct contact, through the mouth | Maybe no symptoms, sore throat, fever, nausea, headache | Paralysis, death |
| Pneumococcal Disease | Pneumococcal vaccine protects against pneumococcal disease. | Air, direct contact | May be no symptoms, pneumonia (infection in the lungs) | Bacteremia (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), death |
| Rubella | MMR*** vaccine protects against rubella. | Air, direct contact | Sometimes rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes | Very serious in pregnant women, can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, birth defects |
| Tetanus | Tdap* and Td** vaccines protect against tetanus. | Exposure through cuts on the skin | Stiffness in neck and abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, fever | Broken bones, breathing difficulty, death |
*Tdap combines protection against Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
**Td combines protection against Diphtheria and tetanus.
***MMR combines protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.
This schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAPexternal icon), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFPexternal icon).