Community Information
Vaccines for Children, Adolescents and Adults
This page contains information to help people of all ages make informed decisions about vaccinations.
Why Immunize?
- Why Immunize? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information of why immunize ourselves, our children, and our family.
- Calling the Shots - Examine the science behind vaccinations, the return of preventable diseases, and the risks of opting out in this free PBS series.
- Vaccines on the Go: What You Should Know - Download this free mobile app from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to access information on the safety, science and importance of vaccines.
- What is the Harm in Delaying or Spacing Out Vaccines - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia helps parents gain understating of delaying vaccination.
Parents, are your children up-to-date on their shots?
Vaccines in Oklahoma
Traveling
Here are some helpful links to prepare you for your upcoming trip.
- Check on Vaccinations for International Travel before you go
- Travel Notices: Polio, Avian Influenza, etc. from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel website
All other children 12 months of age and older, teenagers, and adults born after 1957 should have a documented record of 2 doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days or other evidence of immunity to measles as listed below.
Evidence of Measles Immunity for International travelers consists of one of the following:
- Birth before 1957.
- Documented administration of 2 doses of live measles virus vaccine (MMR, MMRV, or measles vaccines).
- Laboratory (serologic) proof of immunity.
- Documentation of physician-diagnosed measles.
Community Resources
- Oklahoma Caring Van Schedule
- Help paying for vaccines
- Get Answers to Your Vaccine Questions, Vaccinate Your Baby
- Sound Advice from American Academy of Pediatrics
- Immunization Action Coalition
- Vaccine Education Center - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases
- Text4baby - Pregnant women and new moms can sign up for free cell phone text messages to keep you and your baby healthy.
Helpful Tips for Vaccine Safety
- Read the Vaccine Information Statements
- Ask questions so you understand the risks of the diseases and the benefits and risks of the vaccines.
- Take the Vaccine Information Statements home with you;
- You will have them for reference if you need to know what vaccine side effects to expect and what side effects need immediate medical attention.
- Keep a personal record of vaccines that you and your children have received.
- Take these records with you to all health-care visits to ensure that you and your children are kept up-to-date on vaccines and so you or your child do not get extra doses of vaccine.
- Report severe or unusual reactions to vaccines to your health care provider.
- These reactions will be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System which is a nationwide system for tracking adverse events following immunizations.
- The system will work only if reactions are reported.
Currently, all vaccines in the routine infant immunization schedule are manufactured without thimerosal as a preservative. As of January 14, 2003, the final lots of vaccines containing thimerosal as a preservative expired.
There is no scientific evidence that thimerosal caused any harm to infants.
Researchers have studied the meningococcal vaccines very carefully and they are shown to bevery safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find a record at the clinic or doctor's office where your child received the shots. If that doesn't work here are some more options.
We need to immunize against diseases we rarely see because they still occur in other parts of the world and if we stop vaccinating the diseases will come back.
Most children have no side effects after receiving vaccines, however, some side effects are considered normal, such as mild pain, redness and swelling at the site where the shot is given. However, vaccines like any medicine can cause serious problems such as allergic reactions, although these are very rare.
Yes, babies' immune systems can handle much more than they are exposed to with several vaccinations on the same day.
You do not have to start over. Simply make an appointment and pick up the schedule where you left off.
Yes, you can take your child to any County Health Department in Oklahoma to get their vaccinations. If your child has health insurance that covers the cost of vaccines, we recommend they receive their vaccines from your regular doctor or clinic. However, if your health insurance does not cover the cost of a particular vaccine, the child may receive that vaccine from a County Health Department.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Immunization Service
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406
Physical Location
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
Phone: (405) 426-8580
Fax: (405) 900-7612
Email: immunize@health.ok.gov
