Information about Immunizations for Parents, Children, Adolescents, and Adults

This section contains information for people of all ages on the importance of vaccines, when vaccines should be given, what vaccines are required in Oklahoma, what vaccines are recommended for different ages, vaccine side effects, and vaccine safety issues.  

Vaccines are important for people of all ages because some diseases cause more damage to infants and children while others are more serious for young adults and some are more serious for older adults.  Some diseases, such as diphtheria, are very serious for people of any age so we all need protection throughout our lives.

• Vaccines for Infants Birth through 12 Months
  • OK BY ONE Schedule (162k .pdf)
• Vaccines for Toddlers Age 1-2
• Vaccines for Young Children Age 3 to 6
• Vaccines for Adolescents Age 11-12
• Vaccines for All Adults
• Vaccines for Pregnant Women
• Vaccines for Adults Age 50 and Older
• Vaccines for Adults Age 65 Older
• Where to Get Immunizations in Oklahoma
• Oklahoma's Immunization Requirements
• Vaccine Side Effects
• Vaccine Safety Information
• Where to Find More Information

Vaccines for Infants Birth through 12 Months

• All infants need a series of shots or immunizations to protect them from diseases beginning with hepatitis B vaccine before they leave the hospital.
• The vaccines are usually given at the baby’s regular check-ups at 2, 4, and 6 months.
• It is important for babies to stay on schedule with immunizations, because they are not protected from the diseases until they have their shots.
• Be sure to keep your baby’s shot record and take it with you every time you take your baby to the doctor. You will need the record if your child goes to childcare and when your child starts school.
•  The OK BY ONE Schedule  (162k .pdf) is a simplified schedule to complete the infant immunizations in just 4 visits and it is easy to remember!  All you have to remember is that your baby needs shots at 2,4, 6, and 12 months of age.
• Make  A Schedule for Your Child (CDC web site) is a program that lets you make a schedule based on your baby's birth date and lists the actual calendar dates when your baby is due for shots.

What shots do babies need?

• In the first six months of life babies need:

  • 3 DTaP shots to protect against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw),  and pertussis (whooping cough)
  • 3 IPV (inactivated polio vaccine) shots to protect against polio
  • 3 Rotavirus vaccine drops to protect against rotavirus disease (vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration)
  • 3 PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) to protect against meningitis and blood infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria
  • 2 or 3 Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) shots to protect against disease caused by the Hib bacterium such as meningitis
  • 3 Hepatitis B vaccine to protect against liver disease caused by hepatitis B virus
• Combination vaccines can reduce the number of injections needed to complete these vaccines.
• All of these disease can cause death.
• If your baby is six months or older he or she needs influenza vaccine during the flu season which is usually October through March.
• The following web sites have more information about the vaccines and the diseases they prevent:
  • Immunization Action Coalition 
  • Vaccine Education Center - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

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Vaccines for Toddlers Age 1 to 2

• When your baby reaches one year or 12 months of age, he or she needs
  • 1 MMR vaccine  to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella  (German measles) which can cause pneumonia, encephalitis, deafness, blindness, and mental retardation
  • 1 Varicella vaccine to protect against chickenpox
  • 1 DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine) - 4th dose
  • 1 PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) - 4th dose
  • 1 Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) vaccine - 3rd or 4th dose
  • 1 Hepatitis A vaccine  to protect against liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus- 1st dose
• At 18 months, your toddler will need:
  • Hepatitis A vaccine - 2nd dose.  The 2nd dose is due 6 to 18 months after the 1st dose.
• Make sure your toddler completes his or her immunizations before age two so they have the best protection.
• Don’t worry if your child is behind on shots, he or she can get back on schedule and catch up.
• Ask your doctor or clinic to make sure you have a complete record.
• If you have any questions or concerns about vaccines ask your doctor or visit one of the web sites listed in “Where To Find More Information” below.

Vaccines for Young Children Age 3 to 6

• Young children need boosters for DTaP and Polio and a second dose of MMR before they start kindergarten.
• These boosters can be given as early as 4 years of age.
• August is the busy month of the year for clinics that give immunizations, but, you don’t have to wait until July or August to get the boosters your child needs to start kindergarten.  You can take your child in anytime after the 4th birthday.
• If your child is behind on shots, it’s not too late; he or she can get back on schedule and catch up.

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Vaccines for Adolescents Age 11-12 

By the time children reach age 11 to 12 years of age immunity to some of the vaccines they received as young children has started to wane. Other vaccines are recommended at this age to protect adolescents from risks they may encounter as they get older.  

• Tdap - A booster dose for protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) is due at 11-12 years of age.  
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
• Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) for girls only to protect against the virus that causes 70% of cervical cancer in women.

 Vaccines for All Adults

Adults don't like to think about it, but they need immunizations too.  Immunity to tetanus and diphtheria wanes over time and other vaccines are needed based on age and activities.

• Td (tetanus-diphtheria) booster is recommended for all adults every 10 years.
• One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) substituted for one dose of Td, is recommended for all adults up through 64 years of age.
• Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for adults at risk.
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine for adults who have never had these diseases.  Some adults born after 1956 may not be immune to these diseases because the vaccines were not required when they entered school and the diseases were not circulating as widely because vaccines were coming into use.
• Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for adults who have never had chickenpox.

Vaccines for Pregnant Women 

Pregnant women need some vaccines to protect themselves and other vaccines to protect the baby immediately after birth. 

• Influenza vaccination is recommended for all women who will be pregnant during influenza season which usually runs from November through March in the United States. Women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy are at greater risk for hospitalization from influenza .
• To prevent tetanus in newborns, pregnant women should receive Td (tetanus and diphtheria) vaccine if it is needed.  Women should talk to their doctors about this.
• Pregnant women and adolescents who have not received the new vaccine for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) should talk to their doctors about receiving it right after delivery. Vaccinating a new mother against pertussis (whooping cough) reduces the risk to her infant too.
• It is safe for a woman to receive vaccines right after giving birth, even while breast feeding.

Vaccines for Adults Age 50 and Older

Influenza vaccine is recommended for all adults age 50 years and older. 

Vaccines for Adults Age 65 and Older

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV)

Shingles (Herpes zoster) vaccine

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Where to Get Immunizations in Oklahoma

Children and adolescents can receive vaccines from their regular doctor, all county health departments in the state, and other public clinics such as Indian Health Service and tribal clinics and community health centers. Adults can receive vaccines from their regular doctor. County health departments also offer MMR, Td, Tdap, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccine to adults.

Oklahoma's Immunization Requirements

Two laws established vaccine requirements in Oklahoma: 

• The Child Care Facilities Licensing Act, Title 10, Oklahoma Statutes, Sections 411-415 - for children attending childcare facilities
• The Immunization Act of the Oklahoma School Code, Title 70, Oklahoma Statutes, Sections 1210.191 – 1210.193 for children attending elementary, middle, and high school both public and private schools and Sections 3243 & 3244 for students in college or post-secondary educational institutions.
• The regulations for enforcing the laws for childcare, preschool, elementary, middle and high school are established by the Oklahoma State Board of Health.
• Implementation of the requirements for colleges or post-secondary schools is the responsibility of the governing bodies or board of regents for each public or private post-secondary institution.

•      Requirements for Children Attending Childcare (66.5k.pdf)

•      Requirements for Children and Adolescents in Kindergarten through 12^th Grade

•      Requirements for Students in Post-Secondary Schools 

Summary of Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma for 2007-2008 (62.5k .pdf)

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Vaccine Side Effects

Although vaccines are very safe, they do sometimes cause reactions or side effects. Most of the time the side effects are mild such as soreness or redness where the shot was given or a low-grade fever. These reactions usually last only a day or two. 

Vaccine Safety Information

• Vaccine safety is important to all of us and we all have a part in ensuring vaccine safety, including parents, vaccine recipients, doctors, nurses, medical assistants, government agencies, vaccine manufacturers, and the local and national community.

Parents and Vaccine Recipients Responsibilities to Ensure Vaccine Safety

• Read the Vaccine Information Statements and ask questions to make sure you understand the risks of the disease the vaccine will prevent and the benefits and risks of the vaccine.
• Take the Vaccine Information Statements home with you so you will have them for reference if you need to know what vaccine side effects to expect and what side effects need immediate medical attention.
• Keep a personal record of vaccines that you and your child or children have received and take these records with you to all health-care visits to ensure that you and your children are kept up-to-date on vaccines and so you or your child do not get extra doses of vaccine.
• Call you health care provider and report severe or unusual reactions to vaccines. These reactions will be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System which is a nationwide system for tracking adverse events following immunizations.  The system will work only if reactions are reported.
• Seek out reliable information on vaccine safety including web sites that comply with good information practices. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reviewed a number of sites for credibility and content and published a list of the sites that comply with good information practices. The following sites located in the United States are on the WHO list of web sites that comply with good information practices:
• Institute for Vaccine Safety  (Johns Hopkins University)
• Vaccine Education Center (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)

The entire list may be found at the WHO web site: Vaccine Safety Net

 Vaccine Safety Issues

Common Questions About Vaccine Safety

Thimerosal Questions and Answers

Where to Find More Information

It is very important to make decisions about vaccination based on reliable information because the vaccine-preventable diseases can lead to disability and death. Information may be considered reliable if it complies with good information practices. Not all information published in books or on the Internet complies with good information practices. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reviewed a number of Internet sites for adherence to credibility and content and published a list of the sites that comply with good information practices. The following sites located in the United States are on the WHO list:

Vaccine Education Center (VEC), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
National Network for Immunization Information (NNii)
Childhood Immunization Support Program (CISP), American Academy of Pediatrics
PATH's Vaccine Resource Library

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