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Influenza (flu) vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. Scientific studies and ongoing monitoring continue to show that flu vaccines are safe for use and offer the best defense modern medicine currently has at its disposal to protect against the flu and its serious complications.

Everyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop full protection against the flu. Get vaccinated by October to protect yourself and your loved ones!.

Keeping up to date with recommended immunizations is the best defense against meningococcal disease. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not coming into close contact with people who are sick, can also help.

This page has been redirected. The most updated information can now be found at http://www.cdc.

*Abbreviations used on U.S. immunization records.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination

Because of age, health conditions, or other factors, some people should not get certain vaccines or should wait before getting them. Read the guidelines below for each vaccine.

Any vaccine can cause side effects. For the most part these are minor (for example, a sore arm or low-grade fever) and go away within a few days. Listed below are vaccines licensed in the United States and side effects that have been associated with each of them.

Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep! Protect your baby from group B strep. If you're 35-37 weeks pregnant, ask your doctor or nurse about a group B strep test.

Content on this page was developed during the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic and has not been updated.