Should I get vaccinated?
Vaccine information and opinions are everywhere—in the news, social media, and in conversations with family and friends. How should you verify this information? What resources are available to help you? Here are some answers to your questions.
What are the current US recommendations for vaccination?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has resources with specific recommendations for adults and children for vaccination by age, health conditions, and risk factors. It is best to review these recommendations with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure your specific needs are addressed.
I am concerned about recent changes to the CDC recommendations. What are some additional resources from trusted healthcare professionals I can use?
Accessing information from medical organizations and other medical experts is another way to make sure you get the best information about vaccination needs for you and your family. It is important to access information especially for tailored to each person: children of different age ranges, older adults, and pregnant women. Here are some examples of these resources:
- For children and teens – American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): "All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule"
- For adults and their families – American Medical Association (AMA): Vaccines, Vaccinations & Immunizations
- For women of childbearing age, with specific advice for pregnant women – American College of Gynecologists (ACOG): Resources for You
- For adults with cancer – American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): "Vaccination of Adults With Cancer: ASCO Guideline Clinical Insights"
What are the risks and benefits of vaccines?
It is important to not only consider safety risks associated with the vaccine but also the benefits against illness associated with the disease.
Adverse reactions are assessed during clinical studies, but more information may be reported as the vaccine is used in larger numbers and a variety of people after approval. It is important to understand which reactions are temporary (sore arm, fever, achiness) and which are of concern. It is often difficult to directly link reported effects to the vaccine as some conditions may have occurred despite the vaccine administration.
In some instances, rare adverse events may be found in specific groups of people. For example, myocarditis was noted rarely in young men receiving COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and blood clots were noted rarely in young females receiving adenovirus covid-19 vaccines.
Disease prevention is an important consideration. Consider not only the prevention of the disease for you, but also to reduce the spread of the disease in your family and the community. Many diseases have had available vaccines for decades so the seriousness of those infections may be underestimated. Recent outbreaks of measles in certain areas of the US have been directly linked to unvaccinated individuals. It is also important to consider factors of how well the vaccine works to prevent infection.
Summary
Vaccines are generally safe and effective way to prevent diseases. Having open discussions with your healthcare providers about your concerns, using appropriate resources and weighing the risks and benefits of vaccination are important steps to take to make decisions about vaccines.