Vaccines at 13 to 18 Years

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CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 5 years of age and older to help protect against COVID-19.

What vaccines will my 13- to 18-year-old get?

Influenza (Flu) (every year)
Meningococcal disease
- Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) given at 16 years old (2^nd dose)
- Serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) may be given, preferably at 16 through 18 years (2 doses)

Full Vaccine Schedule

After a vaccination

After your child gets a vaccination, some people, including preteens, might experience the following:

Redness and soreness: Placing a cool, damp cloth on the vaccinated area to help reduce redness and/or soreness where the shot was given.
Fainting after getting a shot: Fainting after any vaccine is more common among adolescents. Sitting or lying down when getting a shot and then for about 15 minutes after the shot, can help prevent fainting.

Serious side effects are rare. To learn more about the possible side effects, read the Vaccine Information Sheet(s).

Catch-up vaccinations

If your child missed a vaccine, now is a good time for your child to catch up. Make an appointment for your child to get caught up if they haven’t received vaccines to protect against any of the following diseases:

HPV
Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis) (Tdap)
Meningococcal disease (MenACWY)
Hepatitis A (HepA)
Hepatitis B (HepB)
Polio (IPV)
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
Chickenpox (Varicella)

Is your teen planning to travel?

Does your teen have an opportunity for travel outside the United States?

Plan four to six weeks before your trip. You may need this much time to complete a vaccine series, and your body needs time to build up immunity. Be sure to find out vaccine recommendations and requirements for your travel destination.

Vaccines for college

Before your child enters college, a technical school, or university, check that his or her vaccinations are up to date. These include childhood, preteen, and teen vaccinations. Many states recommend and several states require that some college students receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine.

College campuses have reported outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease during the last several years. Meningococcal conjugate vaccines do not include protection against serogroup B meningococcal disease. There are MenB vaccines that do provide protection against serogroup B meningococcal disease.

Learn more about meningitis in community settings.