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(Right) U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Xavier Langton, 559th Medical Group medic, administers a flu vaccine to U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Justin Gray, Air Force Personnel Center, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance assignments team at the Randolph Air Force Base clinic, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas Nov. 17, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jonathan Mallard)
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Vaccines

Vaccines are critical tools in the health care arsenal, with a long, successful history of fighting or eradicating disease. Vaccines have saved more lives around the world than any other medical invention.

  • Vaccines provide a safe and effective means of countering threats to personal health and military readiness. 
  • Protect your children, protect yourself. Stay up to date. 
  • Talk to your pediatrician and primary care provider and get vaccinated today.
  • Clusters of unvaccinated and undervaccinated children can lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • Check your COVID-19 vaccination status when going for routine vaccine assessments.
  • Vaccines aren’t just for children. Many colleges, universities, and technical schools require vaccines. Make sure you are up to date and have a record of all required vaccines.
  • Some vaccine-preventable diseases remain common in the United States. Unvaccinated people exposed to these diseases can be at risk for a serious case of the disease that might cause hospitalization or death.
  • Young children have the highest risk of a serious case of disease. Delaying or spreading out vaccine doses leaves your child unprotected during the time when they most need protection.
    • Even young children cared for at home can be exposed to vaccine preventable diseases, so it’s important to get all their vaccines at the recommended ages.
    • If your child misses some scheduled vaccine doses, there is no need to restart a vaccine series no matter how much time passed between doses.
    • Talk to your child’s health care provider about the best and quickest way to get up to date.
    • Immunizing your child protects against serious diseases like measles, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, influenza, and more.
  • It’s important to save and update your child’s vaccine records. You’ll likely need to provide them when you register your child for school, childcare, or an athletic team.
    • If you get most care at military hospitals or clinics, you’ll have a DOD electronic health record.
    • Depending on your separation date, your record should be available via your Patient Portal, either TRICARE Online or MHS GENESIS.
  • Everyone aged six years and older should get an updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they’ve received any original COVID-19 vaccines.
    • People aged 65 years and older may get a second dose of updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
    • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Children from six months to five years old may need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date, including at least one dose of updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, depending on how many doses they’ve previously received and their age.
  • COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will be updated as needed.

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Please download and share these graphics and suggested social media content on your own social media channels to participate in the conversation on Immunization Awareness.

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Beat the Back-to-School Rush: TRICARE Preventive Health Checks for Kids

Beat the Back-to-School Rush: TRICARE Preventive Health Checks for Kids

Summer is a great time to take care of health checkups for your kids. Your child’s school likely requires students to get an annual health exam and be up to date on vaccines. With a new school year around the corner, don’t delay medical appointments for your kids.

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Chickenpox

Chickenpox Vaccination - The first doe is recommended at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.

CDC recommends two doses of chickenpox vaccine for children, adolescents, and adults who have never had chickenpox and were never vaccinated. See https://health.mil/chickenpox for more information. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Travel

International Travel - COVID-19 Vaccines - CDC recommends you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel

Wherever you’re heading, use the #CDC Travelers’ Health destinations tool to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Routine Childhood

Routine Childhood Vaccination Schedule - Childhood immunizations are given starting at birth through 4-6 years of age

The recommended childhood immunization schedule in the U.S. protects against 14 diseases. Easy-to-read routine childhood vaccination schedules and immunization recommendations are available at https://health.mil/vaccineschedules. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Homeschool

Vaccinations for homeschooler children - children receive immunizations early because they are susceptible to diseases at a young age. The consequences of these diseases can be very serious, even life-threatening, for infants and young children

Even young children cared for at home can be exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases, from parents, siblings, visitors to their home, on playgrounds, or even at the grocery store. Get answers to your questions about recommended vaccines for your kids at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/FAQs.html. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Meningococcal

Meningococcal vaccine for college - some states, colleges and universities require meningococcal vaccination for certain students

CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for first-year college students living in residence halls. Talk to your child’s health care provider to see if they recommend meningococcal vaccination. https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/about/risk-community.html. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: MMR

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) - two does of MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles and 88% effective against mumps.

Children should get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 months. It’s also important teens and adults remain up to date on their MMR vaccination. Check out the #MMR vaccine resource center: https://health.mil/MMR #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Catch-Up

Catch-up vaccination schedule - Make sure that your child sees their doctor for well-child visits and recommended vaccines.

If your child missed some vaccines along the way, talk to their health care provider about the best and quickest way to get up to date. https://health.mil/vaccineschedules. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Shot Record

Shot record - ensure all vaccines are input into your or your child's health record

Proof of your child’s vaccine records is likely to be required when registering them for school, including colleges and technical schools, childcare, or sports. Learn more about finding and updating vaccine records at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/records/find-records.html. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Polio

Polio Vaccination - CDC recommends that children get four doses of polio vaccine, starting at age 2 months. Almost all children (99 out of 100) who get al the recommended does of polio vaccine will be protected from polio.

Thanks to widespread use of the polio vaccine, the United States has been polio-free since 1979. See https://health.mil/polio for more information. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

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Jul 7, 2023

Immunization Awareness: Combination Vaccines

Combination Vaccines - You may be able to reduce the number of shots your child needs while protecting against the same number of serious diseases.

Some vaccines can be given together in one shot known as a combination vaccine. Talk to your health care provider about which combination vaccines might be right for you or your child. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/why-vaccinate/combination-vaccines.html. #ImmunizationAwarenessMonth #Vaccines #MilVax

Last Updated: August 29, 2024
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