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
Influenza (flu) vaccine
Influenza (flu) is a lung (respiratory) infection that can cause serious complications, especially in young children. Complications can include pneumonia and ear infections. And it can cause asthma flare-ups.
The flu vaccine can lower your child's risk of the flu and its severity. And it can lower your child's risk of needing to stay in the hospital due to serious illness from the flu. The flu vaccine causes your child's body to make antibodies to protect against the flu.
The CDC recommends a flu vaccine every year for everyone age 6 months or older. The flu shot can cause some side effects and has some precautions. If your child has an egg allergy, your child can still get a flu vaccine. Each year's flu vaccine provides protection from the flu viruses research expects to be the most common during the year's flu season. The vaccine is available as a shot, or injection, and as a nasal spray. Children under 2 shouldn't get the nasal spray.
