Shots may hurt a little . . . but the diseases they can prevent can hurt a lot more. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. Immunizations are important for adults as well as for children. Here's why.


Your immune system helps your body fight germs by producing substances to combat them. Once it does, the immune system "remembers" the germ and can fight it again. Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity.

Before vaccines, people became immune only by actually getting a disease and surviving it. Immunizations are an easier and less risky way to become immune. You never outgrow the need for vaccines. The specific immunizations you need as an adult are determined by factors such as your age, lifestyle, high-risk conditions, type and locations of travel and previous immunizations.

Throughout your adult life, you need immunizations to get and maintain protection against: flu, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, shingles, pneumococcal, HPV and others.

From children to adults, we can provide you with the immunizations you need. Also, if you’re planning to travel we recommend you scheduled a visit with us 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Most vaccines take time to become effective in your body and some vaccines must be given in a series over a period of days or sometimes weeks.

Are you aware of which types of vaccinations you or those traveling with you may need?

The CDC divides vaccines for travel into three categories: routine, recommended and required. While our physicians can tell you which ones you should have, it's best to be aware of them ahead of time.

Vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders. Which vaccinations you need depends on a number of factors including your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year you are traveling, your age, health status and previous immunizations.

See our destinations page and look up the country or countries you will visit.

Routine Vaccinations

For vaccinations and immunization recommendations for infants, children and adults, click on the links below:

Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule — United States
Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule — United States
Vaccine Recommendations for Infants and Children