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Health Officials Recommend Preteen and Teen Vaccinations
February 7, 2012 (San Diego)--Meningococcal meningitis, pertussis, influenza, human papillomavirus (HPV), and chickenpox. There is a way to protect your preteen or teenager from these diseases, the County Health and Human Services Agency notes. Yet most of the 300,000 adolescents in our region have not received all recommended vaccines.
February 12-18 is Preteen Vaccine Week and the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) encourages parents to immunize their adolescent children. Vaccines are available at doctors’ offices, community clinics, and many pharmacies. People with no medical insurance can get vaccinated at one of the County’s seven public health centers.
“These adolescent diseases can be prevented,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Vaccinating your children is the best line of defense.”
According to the 2009-2010 San Diego Immunization Survey, the following percentages of adolescents had been vaccinated:
- Meningitis: 47 percent
- Pertussis: 47 percent (Now likely to be much higher due to the new pertussis booster law.)
- Influenza: 30 percent
- HPV: 50 percent (Includes only females; vaccine now also recommended for males.)
- Chickenpox: 81 percent
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these vaccines and doses at the ages below:
Preteen and Teen Vaccines
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Vaccine:
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Age:
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Doses:
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Meningitis
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11 – 18 yrs.
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2
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Pertussis Booster
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11 – 12 yrs. & older
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1
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Flu
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6 mos. and older (Annually)
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1-2 (depends on prior vaccination history)
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HPV
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11 – 12 yrs.
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3
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Chickenpox
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13 yrs. and older
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2
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According to health officials, everyone 6 months and older should receive an annual flu shot. Two doses of flu vaccine are recommended for children 8 years and younger who are receiving it for the first time, otherwise only one dose is recommended. Two doses of chickenpox vaccine are recommended for unvaccinated adolescents who have not had the disease.
Parents should be aware that all 7th graders need to show proof they received the pertussis booster shot (Tdap) before starting school.
For more information on vaccines, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966 or visit www.sdiz.org.
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