Even if you received the vaccines you needed as a child, the protection for some vaccines can wear off. Every year, thousands of adults in the U.S. become seriously ill and are hospitalized because of diseases that vaccines can help prevent.
All adults need a COVID-19 vaccine, a seasonal flu (influenza) vaccine, and Td or Tdap vaccine. Depending on your job, lifestyle, health conditions or travel plans, you might be at risk for other diseases. Visit this site to see what vaccines are recommended for you.
Vaccines also lower the risk of you spreading disease to loved ones. Some people may not be able to get certain vaccines and they rely on you to help prevent them from getting sick. Infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems (like those undergoing cancer treatment) are especially vulnerable to infectious disease. For example, newborn babies are too young to be vaccinated against whooping cough.
Your vaccination record (sometimes called your immunization record) provides a history of all the vaccines you received as a child and adult. This record may be required for certain jobs, travel abroad, or school registration.
Unfortunately, there is no national organization that maintains vaccination records. The CDC does not have this information. The records that exist are the ones you or your parents were given when the vaccines were administered and the ones in the medical record of the doctor or clinic where the vaccines were given.
If you need official copies of vaccination records, or if you need to update your personal records, there are several places you can look. More information on locating your vaccine records.
Your vaccination record (sometimes called your immunization record) provides a history of all the vaccines you received as a child and adult. This record may be required for certain jobs, travel abroad, or school registration4.
Talk with your doctor about the best way to COVID-19 vaccination for people who are pregnant. make sure you are up to date on vaccines.