Frequently Asked Questions

All adults need vaccines to help protect against serious diseases that can result in severe illness, missed work, medical bills and an inability to care for their families. Adults may not have received all their vaccines during childhood. Some childhood vaccines do not offer protection into adulthood and a booster may be needed. Some vaccines are recommended based on age, job, lifestyle, or health condition. Getting vaccinated lowers the risk of getting sick and lowers the chance of spreading a serious disease to others including those that are most vulnerable to severe illness such as infants, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems.

Vaccines work with the body's natural defenses to reduce the chances of getting certain diseases and suffering from complications. The amount of protection varies by vaccine and other factors such as age and health but immunizations are the best defense against many serious, sometimes deadly, diseases. The greatest risk of vaccine-preventable diseases occurs among those that are not vaccinated.

Vaccines are one of the safest ways to protect health. Vaccines go through years of testing before they are licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once licensed, research is reviewed by experts to make recommendations on whom to vaccinate. Even after licensure, the CDC and FDA continue to monitor vaccine safety. Vaccines can be received even if individuals are taking prescription medicines. However, live vaccines which include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and varicella (chickenpox) may not be administered to those who have a suppressed immune system.

Side effects are usually minor, such as feeling sore where the vaccine was administered or having a slight fever. These go away within a few days. Some individuals may have an allergic reaction to a vaccine but serious or long-term effects are rare.