Vaccine guidance from Mayo Clinic
Vaccine benefits
What are the benefits of getting vaccinated?
Is immunity through infection, or natural immunity, better than vaccination?
Vaccine safety and side effects
How are vaccines authorized or approved?
Can vaccines give you a disease?
Vaccines and allergic reactions
What are the signs of an allergic reaction after a vaccine?
Why do adults need to get vaccinated?
What to know about vaccines for babies, children and teens
Why do babies need vaccines?
What vaccines do babies and children need?
Do kids have to be vaccinated to attend school?
Is it OK to change kids' vaccine schedules?
Is it OK to pick and choose kids' vaccines?
Do kids' vaccines cause autism?
Recommended vaccines for children and teens
COVID-19 vaccine for kids age 6 months and older
Influenza (flu) vaccine
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY)
HPV vaccine
What to know about vaccines and pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility
Is it safe for pregnant women to get vaccines?
Is it safe for people who are breastfeeding to get vaccines?
Do vaccines affect fertility and menstruation?
Recommended vaccines during pregnancy
Flu (influenza) shot
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccine
COVID-19
HPV vaccine
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus spread mainly by skin-to skin contact. HPV infection is often spread through sexual contact. HPV infections can cause warts and many kinds of cancer.
The HPV vaccine can prevent cancer of the cervix, vagina and vulva. The vaccine can also prevent genital warts, and cancers of the anus, penis and back of the throat. The HPV vaccine can protect against more than 90% of cancers caused by HPV.
The ACIP recommends routine HPV vaccination for kids ages 11 and 12. Kids and teens can get the HPV vaccine as early as age 9 or at ages 13 and 14. Two doses of the vaccine are given at least six months apart. It's ideal for people to get the vaccine before they have sexual contact and get exposed to HPV. Research has shown that receiving the vaccine at a young age isn't linked to an earlier start of sexual activity.
Once someone is infected with HPV, the vaccine might not be as effective or might not work at all. Also, response to the vaccine is better at younger ages than older ones.
Teens and young adults who begin the vaccine series later, at ages 15 through 26, should get three doses of the vaccine.
