Let's Talk About Vaccines | Erie County Dept of Health

Title text "Let's Talk About Vaccines" white font over bold red background, with an illustration of a masked healthcare provider in a white coat administering a vaccination to a small boy as another child watches.

Content on this page is adapted from the Erie County Office of Health Equity for our publication, "Let's Talk About Vaccines". None of the information on this page should be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your health care provider.

This publication is available in six languages. You may order paper copies of this or any of our other publications, using this form. Printable PDF versions in all 6 languages are for download using the links below. For accessibility, please use the web version of this content.

The Jesse Nash Health Center offers these vaccines at the Family Planning Center:

HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)
Hepatitis A/B
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

The ECDOH Immunization Clinic offers several types of vaccines including COVID-19. Appointments required.

What are Vaccines?

Vaccines help teach the immune system how to defend against germs and prevent life-threatening diseases. Vaccination protects you by helping build up your natural defenses. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children and adults to receive at the recommended ages.

Vaccines are medicines that protect against disease. Vaccination is one of the safest preventive care measures available. Vaccines are usually given as an injection or shot, but some can be given by mouth or sprayed into the nose. Vaccines are important because they provide immunity, the ability to fight off an illness, including potentially life-threatening diseases. If you are immune to a disease, you can be exposed to it without becoming sick. Different vaccines work in different ways, but every vaccine helps the body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. It typically takes a few weeks for protection to develop after vaccination, but that protection can last months or even years.

Vaccines can prevent common diseases that used to seriously harm or even kill infants, children, and adults. Without vaccines, children are at risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from childhood diseases like measles and whooping cough. Adults need to keep vaccinations up to date because immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off over time. A few vaccines, such as those for tetanus or seasonal flu, require occasional booster doses to maintain the body’s defenses. You are also at risk for different diseases at different stages of life.

For more information about the benefits of vaccines, visit Healthy Children's Common Questions Page by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Further reading from HealthyChildren.org (by the American Academy of Pediatrics).

FAQ about vaccine ingredients.
All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule, in English and in Spanish.
Vaccines Your Child Needs By Age 6, in English and in Spanish
Vaccines for 'Tweens, Teens & Young Adults, in English and in Spanish.

Important Terms

Vaccinate: To protect against disease, usually by shot or injection with a needle.

Immunization: Using vaccines to become protected against a disease. May also be called vaccination or inoculation.

Booster Shot or Booster Dose: Shot you get months or years after your first vaccine shot to maintain your immunity.

Contraindication: A specific situation where a medicine or procedure should not be used because it may be harmful to the person.

Antibodies: Cells that help the body fight off infection.

Immunization Schedule: The list of common vaccines the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that most people should receive at specific ages.

Catch-up Schedule: An immunization schedule for anyone who has not received doses of vaccines they are eligible for or that are missing from their vaccination record.

Misinformation: False information that is spread by people who think it is true. There is a lot of false information online, especially about vaccines.

NYSIIS (an acronym): New York State Immunization Information System. Pronounced “nice-iss.” This is the central digital system where health care providers enter information about what vaccines you have received. This info is available to schools and hospitals as well as the Department of Health. Your NYSIIS profile should have the most accurate information about what vaccines you have received and which ones you still need or need boosters for.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Complications

Vaccine/Preventable Disease	Disease Complications
COVID-19: Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu. Spread through air and direct contact.	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia); blood clots; liver, heart or kidney damage; long COVID; death
Chickenpox (Varicella): Contagious viral infection that causes fever, headache, and an itchy, blistering rash; spread through air and direct contact.	Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death
Diptheria: Contagious bacterial infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact.	Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death
DTaP: Protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis	See information for individual diseases
Hepatitis A: Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread by contaminated food or drink or close contact with an infected person	Liver failure, death
Hepatitis B: Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood or semen	Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer, death
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b): Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs, brain and spinal cord, or bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact	Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include brain damage, hearing loss, loss of arm or leg, death
Influenza (Flu): Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, death
Measles (Rubeola): Contagious viral infection that causes high fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and rash; spread through air and direct contact	Brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death
MMR: Protects against measles, mumps, and rubella	See information for individual diseases
Mumps: Contagious viral infection that causes fever, tiredness, swollen cheeks, and tender swollen jaw; spread through air and direct contact	Brain swelling, painful and swollen testicles or ovaries, deafness, death
Pertussis (Whooping Cough): Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death; especially dangerous for babies
Pneumococcal: Bacterial infections of ears, sinuses, lungs, or bloodstream; spread through direct contact with respiratory droplets like saliva or mucus	Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include infection of the lungs (pneumonia), blood poisoning, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, death
Polio: Contagious viral infection of nerves and brain; spread through the mouth from stool on contaminated hands, food or liquid, and by air and direct contact	Paralysis, death
Rotavirus: Contagious viral infection of the gut; spread through the mouth from hands and food contaminated with stool	Severe diarrhea, dehydration, death
RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus): Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia) and small airways of the lungs; especially dangerous for infants and young children
Rubella (German Measles): Contagious viral infection that causes low-grade fever, sore throat, and rash; spread through air and direct contact	Very dangerous in pregnant people; can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, severe birth defects
Tetanus (Lockjaw): Bacterial infection of brain and nerves caused by spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin	Seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death

Where to Get Vaccines

Your primary care provider or pediatrician Immunization clinics in WNY: erie.gov/immclinics
Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) Immunization Clinic: The Erie County Department of Health Immunization Action Plan (IAP) Program works closely with health care providers, day care providers, schools, and others to help raise vaccination rates in Erie County. The IAP provides educational materials on immunizations to providers for their patients. The IAP Program can answer questions about immunizations that are needed for school or college.
- 608 William Street, Buffalo; 716-858-7687
Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHC): find one near you by visiting snapcapwny.org.
Your local pharmacy may carry limited amounts of common vaccines such as flu, Tdap and COVID-19.

Children Need Vaccines as They Grow

Vaccines can prevent common diseases that used to seriously harm or even kill infants, children and adults. Without vaccines, your child is at risk of becoming seriously ill or even dying from childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough. It is important for your child to receive vaccines starting at birth and continuing through childhood.

No-cost vaccines are available through the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program for eligible children at pediatric care providers, pharmacies and health clinics that are enrolled in the VFC Program. To learn more, visit: Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program

If you choose not to vaccinate your child, it may be difficult to find and maintain pediatric care. Talk with your provider and read trusted information about vaccines from sources like the New York State Department of Health or the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about vaccines.

Children attending day care and pre-K through 12th grade in New York State must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule in order to attend or remain in school. Check with your pediatrician to make sure your child has all required and recommended vaccinations.

Plan ahead: once school starts, all of the appointments get booked up! Make your appointment early in the summer to make sure you get to see your provider before school begins.

For support making vaccines less stressful for children, check out these tips from the CDC.

Vaccine Requirements For Daycare, Pre-K and Grade School Attendance

Make Your School Check-Up Appointment Early Each Summer!

Within 14 days of the first day of school or day care, caregivers must:

Show proof of their child's up-to-date vaccinations, OR
Provide a valid medical exemption from vaccination.

In order to attend or remain in school or day care, children who are unvaccinated or overdue must receive at least the first dose of all required vaccines within the first 14 days. They also must receive subsequent vaccines in the series within a 14-day period of when they are due to complete the immunization series.

Vaccines required for day care, pre-K, and school:

Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine and Pertussis vaccine (DTaP or Tdap)
Hepatitis B vaccine
Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR)
Polio vaccine
Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccine

Additional vaccines required for day care and pre-K:

Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (HiB)
Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (PCV)

Additional vaccines required for middle school and high school:

Tdap vaccine for Grades 6-12
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) for Grades 7-12
Students in Grade 12 need an additional booster dose of MenACWY on or after their 16th birthday

More information from NY State on Vaccines and Immunization.

NYSIIS: The New York State Immunization Information System is the central digital system where health care providers enter information about what vaccines you have received. This info is available to schools and hospitals as well as the Department of Health. Your NYSIIS profile should have the most accurate information about what vaccines you have received and which ones you still need or need boosters for

Vaccines and Pregnancy

Influenza (flu), Tdap, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy can help keep you and your baby safe. The Tdap vaccine helps protect against whooping cough, which can be really dangerous for your baby. RSV is a common cause of severe respiratory illness in infants. Pregnant people and babies are more likely to get very sick from the flu and COVID-19. Getting these vaccines while you’re pregnant helps your body create protective antibodies, and you can pass on those antibodies to your baby. These antibodies can help protect your baby during the first few months of life when they are too young to receive these vaccines themselves.

Timing of vaccinations is key! Ask your medical provider about when to get these vaccines during pregnancy. For more information about pregnancy and vaccination, visit: Vaccines and Pregnancy

Vaccines for Adults

Adults need to keep their vaccinations up to date because immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off over time. You are also at risk for different diseases as an adult. Vaccination is one of the most convenient and safest preventive care measures available. By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and also avoid spreading preventable diseases to other people in your community. All adults should get the influenza (flu) vaccine every year, the COVID-19 vaccine, and the Tdap vaccine.

You may need other vaccines based on your age, health conditions, job, lifestyle, or travel habits. Talk to your medical provider about what other vaccines are right for you. Sometimes medical providers’ offices don’t accept Medicaid for vaccines, but pharmacies do. If you are uninsured or underinsured, learn more about Erie County’s Vaccines for Adults (VFA) Program. For more information on immunization for adults, visit: Vaccine Information for Adults

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