Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect your health. They lower your chance of getting sick and spreading certain diseases to your loved ones and they help keep you healthy.
Each year thousands of adult New Yorkers get sick — and some even die — from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.
Vaccines are safe and save lives. Vaccines do not cause autism. Numerous trusted scientific studies from the U.S. and around the world studying over 1 million children have found no link between autism and vaccines.
Vaccines do not overwhelm the immune system. In their daily life, children and babies are exposed to hundreds, even thousands of challenges to their immune system in a single day. A scraped knee probably creates more work for the immune system than all of the childhood vaccines combined.
There can be a lot of misinformation around vaccines. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and ask them about trusted sources of information.
How We Care for You
NYC Health + Hospitals provides low- or no-cost vaccinations at our hospitals and Gotham Health Centers, regardless of immigration status. Our providers are dedicated to protecting all New Yorkers and recommend our patients get life-saving vaccines.
Children’s Vaccines
You should vaccinate your child against several diseases before they are 2 years old. Getting your child vaccinated as early as possible can protect them from suffering throughout their life.
If you skip some vaccines or wait to get your child vaccinated, you put your child at risk. Your child could get very sick or even die from a serious disease that could have been prevented. They could also be permanently disabled by many of these preventable diseases.
Children should get the recommended vaccinations at the right age and on time. Vaccine schedules are designed to protect children from deadly diseases when they are most at risk – before the age of 2.
To be sure your child is fully vaccinated, talk to your doctor.
Here are recommended Child vaccines, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Prevents tetanus which causes broken bones, breathing difficulties, death
- Prevents diphtheria which causes heart swelling, heart failure, breathing difficulties, paralysis, death
- Prevents pertussis (Whooping Cough) which causes pneumonia, death
- Prevents bacterial infections that cause ear infections, pneumonia, brain infections, intellectual disability, throat swelling, death
- Prevents liver disease caused by Hepatitis B Virus (liver failure, liver cancer, death)
- Prevents Measles which causes brain swelling, pneumonia, death
- Prevents Mumps which causes brain infections and swelling, swelling of testicles or ovaries, deafness, death
- Prevents Rubella which causes miscarriages, birth defects, stillbirth
- Prevents bacterial infections that cause pneumonia, ear infections, blood infections, brain infections, death
- Prevents polio which causes paralysis and death
- Prevents severe diarrhea which causes dehydration, death
- Prevents chickenpox which causes blisters, bleeding disorders, brain swelling, pneumonia, death
For vaccination appointments, call 1-844-692-4692
For vaccination appointments, call 1-844-692-4692
Adult Vaccines
Adults need vaccines too. Adult vaccines for influenza and pneumonia can protect you from serious illness. Influenza and pneumonia continue to be the third leading cause of death in NYC.
Here are recommended Adult Vaccines
- Flu vaccine, every year
- COVID-19 vaccine, every year
- Pneumococcal vaccines, if you are 50 or older
- Shingles vaccine, if you are 60 or older
- RSV vaccine if you are 75 or older or between 50 and 74 years with an underlying condition
- Tetanus diphtheria (Td) booster, every 10 years
