Immunization refers to the process of getting a vaccination to protect against diseases, illnesses, and infections. Throughout your lifetime you will need to get numerous immunizations to help prevent the flu, measles, whooping cough, polio, and more. Vaccinations can be incredibly beneficial and effective for infants, children, adolescents, adults, and elderly.

Did you know that there are many different kinds of vaccines?

Inactivated Vaccines

Inactivated vaccines include the flu shot, rabies shot, polio shot, and hepatitis A vaccine. This type of vaccine is used to kill certain types of germs that are responsible for causing disease. For ongoing immunity, you may need to get booster shots of inactivated vaccines.

Subunit Vaccines

For protection against hepatitis B, whooping cough, human papillomavirus, shingles, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, and hib disease, you’ll need a subunit vaccination.

Toxoid Vaccines

Toxoid vaccination creates immunity to fight against tetanus and diphtheria. Instead of targeting the entire germ, they target major toxins found inside of the germ.

Live-attenuated Vaccines

Live attenuated vaccines protect against yellow fever, rotavirus, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and smallpox. They are extremely effective against these infections and can give you lifelong immunity.

Messenger RNA Vaccines

Messenger RNA vaccines can protect against COVID-19 by triggering an immune response to fight against the infection.

Immunization is important to prevent life-threatening diseases from developing in you or your children. Without vaccinations such as the rabies shot, tetanus vaccine, or human papillomavirus vaccine, you could contract serious complications.

For safety reasons, everyone needs immunizations. Your primary care physician can help you keep track of immunization records and provide your family with immunizations at the appropriate teams.

Birth
Right after birth your infant will receive 3 doses of the hepatitis B vaccine to prevent severe liver damage and cancer.

1-2 Months
Between 1-2 months your baby will be vaccinated against hepatitis B, polio, influenza, rotavirus, pneumococcal, tetanus, whooping cough, and hib disease.

4 Months
At 4 months your baby will get vaccinated for further protection against polio, influenza, rotavirus, pneumococcal, tetanus, whooping cough, and hib disease.

6 Months
At 6 months your baby will be vaccinated for stronger immunity against polio, influenza, rotavirus, pneumococcal, tetanus, whooping cough, and hib disease.

12-23 Months
Twelve to twenty three months is a critical time for your baby to get immunized against hepatitis B, hepatitis A, pneumococcal, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, tetanus, whooping cough, and haemophilus influenza type b.

2-3 Years
Your toddler will only need to get the flu vaccination from the age of two to three.

4-6 Years
When your children are between the ages of 4 to 6, they will need to get influenza, polio, chickenpox, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines.

7-10 Years
During the ages of seven to ten, your kids only need to get the flu vaccine.

11-12 Years
It is recommended for preteens to get the HPV vaccine, flu vaccine, meningococcal conjugate vaccine, and tetanus vaccine.

13-18 Years
Throughout teenage years, make sure to get the flu shot during flu season!

19-26 Years
College students and young adults need to be protected against influenza, tetanus, meningitis, and human papillomavirus.

27-60 Years
During adulthood you need to be vaccinated against influenza, tetanus, diphtheria, and coronavirus. These vaccines are especially important if you have any other underlying chronic conditions that could cause further complications.

60+ Years

Once you reach the age of 60, you’ll need to get the influenza vaccine, Tdap vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, and zoster vaccine. For all of your immunizations, contact Franklin Primary Clinic. We can provide you with the vaccinations needed to keep you and your family safe. If you have any questions about our clinic or about our immunization protocols, please reach out and our friendly reception would be more than happy to help you. We can’t wait to welcome you to Franklin Primary Care! Call us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 225 Nassau Boulevard, West Hempstead, New York 11552. We serve patients from West Hempstead NY, Franklin Square NY, Garden City NY, New Hyde Park NY, Uniondale NY, Mineola NY, and North Valley Stream NY.