Vaccine Information Statements

Vaccine Basics

Vaccines help prevent people from getting sick. There are many kinds of vaccines. Each vaccine is made up of parts of weakened or killed bacteria or viruses of a specific disease. After you have a vaccine, your body's immune system makes antibodies to fight the disease. If you are exposed to the same disease in the future, the antibodies kill the bacteria or viruses before they have a chance to make you sick.

If you get a vaccine, it may not completely prevent you from getting a disease, but it makes it much less likely. If you get a disease even after you have been vaccinated, it usually will be only a mild case.

Vaccines are usually given by shot (injection). Some are given by mouth as a pill or liquid, or by a spray (aerosol) into the nose. Vaccines are also called immunizations.

Immunization Schedules

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other national organizations advise people about which vaccines they should get and when. One schedule is for children and teens (adolescents), another is for adults. Also, some people with health problems such as diabetes have a different immunization schedule.

• Childhood and adolescent immunization schedule.¹ The age range for this schedule is birth through age 18 years.
• Immunization schedule for adults (general adult population).² This schedule is for healthy adults beginning at age 19 years.
• Immunization schedule for adults with medical conditions (including pregnancy).² This schedule also begin at age 19.

To see a list of recommended shots based on your child's birth date, go to the CDC interactive Web site at http://www2a.cdc.gov/nip/kidstuff/newscheduler_le. To see what shots you or your teen may need, go to the CDC interactive Web site at http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/adultImmSched.

Children and teens in the United States usually need proof that all their immunizations are up to date before they can start school or day care. Students of any age entering college also usually need to have their immunizations up to date.

For more information on when to get vaccines, see the topic Immunizations.

The CDC may advise certain immunizations for people who are going to travel to a foreign country. For more information, see the topic Travel Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes Vaccine Information Statements (VISs), which have details about most vaccines given in the United States.

The information in these statements does not change often. The VISs are updated when needed. But the VISs are usually updated sometime after the standard immunization schedules. The standard immunization schedules have the most current information about which vaccines you should get and when.

For more information on standard immunization schedules, see the topic Immunizations.

If you have any questions about a vaccine, see the CDC immunization schedule recommendations or talk to your doctor.

There are Vaccine Information Statements for:

• Anthrax (What is a PDF document?)
• Chickenpox (Varicella) (What is a PDF document?)
• Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) (What is a PDF document?)
• Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) (What is a PDF document?)
• Hepatitis A (What is a PDF document?)
• Hepatitis B (What is a PDF document?)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) (What is a PDF document?)
• Inactivated Influenza (flu shot) (What is a PDF document?)
• Japanese Encephalitis (What is a PDF document?)
• Live, Intranasal Influenza (nasal spray flu vaccine) (What is a PDF document?)
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) (What is a PDF document?)
• Meningococcal (What is a PDF document?)
• Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV) (What is a PDF document?)
• Pneumococcal Polysaccharide (PPV) (What is a PDF document?)
• Polio (IPV) (What is a PDF document?)
• Rabies (What is a PDF document?)
• Rotavirus (What is a PDF document?)
• Shingles (What is a PDF document?)
• Smallpox (Vaccinia) (What is a PDF document?)
• Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td) (What is a PDF document?)
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap) (What is a PDF document?)
• Typhoid (What is a PDF document?)
• Yellow Fever (What is a PDF document?)

Other Places To Get Help

Online Resources

Related Information

• Immunizations