CHA pediatric clinics follow CDC and Massachusetts immunization guidelines. Immunizations are the best way of preventing many serious childhood illnesses.

During the first ten years of life, it is recommended your child receives the following recommended vaccines, based on their age, to provide the best protection from serious illness:

What vaccinations should my preteen and teenager receive?

Children aged 11-12 are recommended to receive the following vaccines:

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine
• HPV vaccine
• Tdap
• Flu vaccine

Resources:

• Click here for the 2023 recommended immunizations for children from birth through 6 years old.
• Click here for the 2023 recommended immunizations for children 7-18 years old.
• Click here to learn more about these vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As part of your annual wellness visit, you will want to make sure you are up to date with all of your vaccines. As you get older, your immunity from your childhood vaccines may wear off. You are also at risk for other diseases as an adult based on your age, health conditions and lifestyle.

What are the recommended vaccinations for adults?

• The seasonal flu shot
• The COVID-19 vaccine
• Hepititis B
• Tdap
• Zoster vaccine (shingles vaccine)
• Pneumococcal vaccines
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine

Talk to your provider at your next annual wellness visit to make sure you are up to date on your recommended vaccines. Learn more about these vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by clicking here.

Getting vaccinated during your pregnancy protects you and your baby against serious illnesses, especially during the first few months of your babies life. The CDC recommends two vaccines during every pregnancy, the Flu vaccine and Tdap vaccine. The Tdap vaccine provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.

The COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be safe and effective for both mother and baby. If you are pregnant, you are more likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19 and are at a higher risk for complications. Therefore, it is now recommended for pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during their pregnancy. We understand there are a lot of questions and hesitency towards receiving the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant. To try to make your decision easier, we have created some videos for you that will hopefully answer your questions about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant. Click the links below to watch:

• Being pregnant and getting COVID vaccine
• Getting the COVID vaccination while pregnant
• What are the risks of getting vaccinated while pregnant?
• Do COVID vaccines cause infertility?

Routine vaccines are safe and recommended for breastfeeding mothers. It is important to stay up to date on your vaccinations to keep you and your new baby healthy. Talk to your provider today about getting vaccinated during your pregnancy. 

If you are traveling outside the US, you may need special precautions to protect your health, including immunizations or medicine. First, make sure you are up-to-date on all of your routine vaccines, then check out how CHA can help you customize your health travel plans based on your destination!

At CHA we provide a full range of services to help adults and children stay safe and healthy during travel. 

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There are four different types of COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States. The COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be safe, effective and the best protection against serious illness and complications. Everybody 6 months and older can now get a COVID vaccine. Vaccine recommendations are based on your age, the first vaccine you may have received, and the time since your last dose of the vaccine. It is encouraged to be fully vaccinated to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. 

What does being fully vaccinated mean?

Everyone 6 years and older needs to have at least 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. Depending on the number of doses they have already received and their age, children in the 6 months - 5 year age range may need multiple bivalent doses to be considered up to date. If you are 65 and older or are immunocompromised, you may receive additional doses of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Your body needs about two weeks after your final shot to be fully protected by COVID-19. Talk to your provider today to make sure you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccine. 

What are the common side effects?

Side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine can be different for each person. Some of the common side effects are:

• Pain or redness and swelling in the arm where you received the shot
• Fever and chills
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Nausea

Call your provider if your symptoms do not go away after a few days or if the pain where you got your shot gets worse after 24 hours. 

Allergic reactions and adverse events are rare but can happen. Please plan to be monitred for 15 minutes after your shot by a healthcare provider. If you think you may be having a severe allergic reaction, call 911. 

How can I get a COVID-19 Vaccine?

If you have an upcoming CHA appointment, just ask to be given the COVID-19 vaccine when you come in. You can schedule a vaccine appointment on MyChart or by calling your primary care center. If you are not a CHA patient, call a care center near you to become one.

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Influenza (flu) is a disease of the body’s respiratory system, which includes the nose, throat, and lungs. Flu is caused by a virus and can be very serious, especially for people with certain health conditions. Flu season typically lasts from October through May, but peaks between December and February. During an average flu season, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and there are tens of thousands of deaths, caused by influenza. Getting vaccinated against the flu significantly lowers your risk of developing serious illness and complications. 

Flu vaccines are manufactured each year to provide protection against the multiple influenza viruses that research indicates will be transmitted the most during the upcoming flu season. There are different flu vaccine options available and are recommended based on ages groups. Everyone 6 months and older are recommended to receive a flu shot each year. Most flu vaccines are given with a needle in the arm, but there are nasal spray vaccines availble as well. Some people may be advised against getting a nasal spray flu vaccination like pregnant woman. Certain groups of people with specific health conditions or allergies are not recommended to receive a yearly flu shot.  

What are common side effects?

• Soreness
• Redness or swelling where the shot was given
• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue

If you have any concerns about getting an annual flu shot, talk to your provider before the start of the next flu season.

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Mpox (Monkeypox) shows up as a rash or lesions usually after flu-like symptoms. The Mpox vaccine is available by appointment for CHA patients only.

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