Stay up to date on vaccines

Keep yourself healthy by getting routine vaccines

Vaccines are a simple, but important way to protect yourself and your loved ones against many common diseases. They are designed to either prevent you from getting the disease in the first place, or will help minimize the effects if you do get it. All vaccines are thoroughly reviewed and tested before they are approved for use.

Vaccines are given at specific times or ages, so you’ll get most vaccines as a kid and then routine vaccines as an adult to keep your immunity boosted.

Adult vaccinations

There are some vaccines that you must get boosters for as an adult because immunity can wane over time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends these vaccines for adults:

• COVID-19
• Flu (every year)
• Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) or tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap)

Check with your doctor to see what vaccines you may need, as you may need different vaccines based on your age or lifestyle.

Child vaccinations

Talk to your child’s doctor about their vaccination schedule to make sure they get all the essential vaccines they need. Your child can start getting vaccines as early as birth, so make sure that you take your child in for Well-Child Visits so that your child can stay updated on their vaccine schedule.

Here are some of the common vaccines kids and adolescents should get:

• COVID-19
• Diphtheria, tetanus and ancellular pertussis (DTaP)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Pneumococcal (pneumonia)
• Inactivated poliovirus (polio)
• Rotavirus
• Varicella (chicken pox)
• Hepatitis A
• Meningococcal (meningitis)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Zoster

If your child misses a vaccine appointment, don’t worry. Your child can get their shot at another appointment.

Get preventive vaccines at no cost

Preventive vaccines are covered as part of your plan benefits and come at no extra cost to you. The COVID-19 vaccine is free to anyone living in the United States, regardless of whether they have health insurance.

More information

You can get more information on vaccines on the CDC’s vaccines and immunizations page. For more information on preventive vaccines that are covered by Blue Cross of Idaho, visit our preventive care services page.

 

Posted: August 3, 2022

Updated: October 20, 2023