Meningococcal Vaccination for Preteens and Teens: Information for Parents
CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for all preteens and teens. All 11 to 12 year olds should receive a single dose of a meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine. Since protection decreases over time, CDC recommends a booster dose at age 16 years. The booster dose provides protection during the ages when teens are at highest risk of meningococcal disease. Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year olds) also may receive a serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine. The preferred age to get MenB vaccine is 16 through 18 years old. If your child is getting MenACWY and MenB vaccines at the same visit, they may get a MenABCWY vaccine instead. Talk with your teen’s doctor about meningococcal vaccination to help protect your child’s health.
Meningococcal Vaccines
Preteens and teens are at increased risk for meningococcal disease, an uncommon but serious illness.
Meningococcal disease can be devastating and often—and unexpectedly—strikes otherwise healthy people. Although meningococcal disease is uncommon, teens and young adults 16 through 23 years old are at increased risk. Meningococcal bacteria can cause severe, even deadly, infections like
- Meningitis (an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord)
- Bacteremia or septicemia (bloodstream infections)
About 1 in 5 people who survive their meningococcal infection have permanent disabilities.
There are 3 types of meningococcal vaccines available in the United States. Each type helps protect your child against different serogroups (strains) of meningococcal disease.
MenACWY vaccines provide protection against 4 serogroups: A, C, W, and Y. MenB vaccines provide protection against serogroup B. MenABCWY vaccine provides protection against all 5 serogroups.
Your child can get MenACWY and MenB vaccines at the same time.
Your child’s doctor can give both types of meningococcal vaccines during the same visit, but preferably in different arms. If you choose for your child to get a MenB vaccine, the preferred timing is 16 through 18 years old. So it’s possible your child will get this vaccine and the MenACWY booster dose at the same visit. In that case, your child may get one dose of MenABCWY vaccine instead.
MenACWY Vaccines
A MenACWY booster shot helps protect your teen during the ages they are at highest risk of meningococcal disease.
Protection from a single dose of MenACWY vaccine declines in most teens within 5 years. Teens need a booster dose at age 16 years to provide protection during the ages when they are at highest risk.
Many colleges require proof of MenACWY vaccination within 5 years before starting school.
Regardless of school requirements, CDC recommends a booster dose for all teens who received the first dose before their 16th birthday. The booster dose provides the best protection during the ages when teens are at highest risk. Teens who receive their first MenACWY vaccine dose at or after age 16 years do not need a booster dose.
MenACWY vaccines are safe. However, as with any vaccine, side effects can occur.
About half of the people who get a MenACWY vaccine have mild problems following vaccination. Learn more about the possible side effects of MenACWY vaccines.
CDC continually monitors the safety of all vaccines, including MenACWY vaccines. For more information, view the Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine Information Statement.
It does not matter which brand of MenACWY vaccine your child receives.
CDC has no preference as to which brand (Menveo® or MenQuadfi®) of a MenACWY vaccine your child receives.
MenB Vaccines
If you’re interested in having your child vaccinated with a MenB vaccine, talk to your child’s doctor.
CDC does not routinely recommend a MenB vaccine for all teens and young adults. However, all teens may get vaccinated, preferably at 16 to 18 years old.
Serogroup B meningococcal disease is relatively rare. Outbreaks have occurred at several U.S. colleges during the past decade. CDC’s current recommendation gives people access to MenB vaccines to help prevent this uncommon, but serious illness. However, doctors and parents should discuss the risk of the disease and weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination. Available data suggest these vaccines are safe and provide protection, but that protection decreases fairly quickly after vaccination.
MenB vaccines are safe. However, as with any vaccine, side effects can occur.
More than half of the people who get a MenB vaccine have mild problems following vaccination. Teens are more likely to have side effects after MenB vaccination compared to other vaccines given to preteens and teens. Those other vaccines include HPV, MenACWY, and Tdap vaccines.
Learn more about the possible side effects of MenB vaccines.
CDC continually monitors the safety of all vaccines, including MenB vaccines. For more information, view the Meningococcal B Vaccine Information Statement.
It does not matter which brand of a MenB vaccine your child receives.
CDC has no preference as to which brand (Bexsero® or Trumenba®) of MenB vaccine your child receives. Both brands require multiple doses. People must get the same vaccine brand for all doses.
MenB vaccines are administered as a 2- or 3-dose series.
Both MenB vaccines require more than 1 dose for maximum protection.
MenABCWY Vaccine
CDC only recommends a MenABCWY vaccine as an option when your child is getting MenACWY and MenB vaccines at the same visit.
If a MenABCWY vaccine is not available, your child can still get MenACWY and MenB vaccines as two separate shots.
It matters which MenB vaccine your child receives for their second dose after getting a MenABCWY vaccine.
People must get the same vaccine brand for all doses of MenB vaccine. If your child receives MenABCWY vaccine, which includes the MenB vaccine Trumenba®, then they need to get Trumenba® for their second MenB dose.
MenABCWY vaccine is safe. However, as with any vaccine, side effects can occur.
More than half of the people who get a MenB vaccine, which is included in the MenABCWY vaccine, have mild problems following vaccination. Teens are more likely to have side effects after MenB vaccination compared to other vaccines given to preteens and teens. Those other vaccines include HPV, MenACWY, and Tdap vaccines.
Learn more about the possible side effects of MenABCWY vaccines.
CDC continually monitors the safety of all vaccines, including MenABCWY vaccine. For more information, view the