Website maintenance is planned for Saturday, March 25. A brief disruption may occur throughout the day.
Immunizations and Vaccines
Creating a Community of Immunity
Vaccines are one of the best preventive health tools we have. But vaccine misinformation is a real threat to public health and with increased patient hesitancy, potentially deadly disease outbreaks will happen. It's critical that everyone protect their health and those around them.
According to the CDC, vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 730,000 deaths among children born in the last 20 years.1 For every $1 invested in vaccines, an estimated $10.20 is saved in direct medical costs.2 But more education is needed to improve vaccination rates. AAFP resources can support your efforts to get your patients vaccinated, from birth to advanced age.
Vaccine Schedules and Information
2023 Immunization Schedules
- Schedules Overview
- Adult
- Birth to 18 Years
- Catch-up Schedule
- Shots App: Quick Access to Vaccine Schedules
Influenza Vaccine Information
- Web Page: Seasonal Influenza Prevention
- Clinical Guidance Resources
- Practice Planning for COVID-19 and Influenza Viruses
- Guide to Creating a COVID-19 and Influenza (Flu) Action Plan: Adults 65 Years and Older
- COVID-19 and Influenza (Flu) Medical History Form: Regular PDF and Fillable PDF
- Recommendations: 2022-2023 Influenza Vaccine
- CDC Health Alert: Variant Influenza Virus Infections: Recommendations for Identification, Treatment, and Prevention for Summer and Fall 2022 (Aug. 2022)
- Article: Academy Approves Updated ACIP Flu Vaccine Recommendations (Aug. 2022)
- Article: CDC Committee Recommends Enhanced Flu Shot for Seniors (June 2022)
Disease- and Population-Specific Immunizations
- Measles Vaccine
- Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)
- Pertussis Vaccine
- Pneumococcus Vaccine
- Meningococcal Disease Vaccine
- Article: Some FPs Still Face Uphill Battle on COVID-19 Vaccines (Aug. 2022)
- Toolkit: Vaccines 4 Teens: Your team can customize to educate parents/guardians and teen patients.
- Audio: Healthy Immunity is a two-part series with AAFP Vaccine Science fellows. (Download AAFP App)
- Call to Action: Immunizations for Pregnant Women
We are tapping into AAFP members who are passionate about vaccines to emphasize the critical role vaccines play in keeping communities healthy. Misinformation is a key contributor, as outlined in Survey Finds COVID-19 Misinformation Continues to Spread.
In late 2021, the Vaccine Science Fellows released a new report, Surveying the Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Public Confidence in Vaccines and Vaccine Messengers. This summary examines vaccine confidence before and since the onset of the pandemic.
A project in collaboration with Pfizer also brings you new resources to support patient conversations on getting vaccinated. Each piece was authored by an AAFP member.
Support Patient Conversations
Vaccines are the best way to protect against potentially deadly diseases. But many patient still have questions when its time to get vaccinated. These resources can help you with those difficult conversations.
Fact Sheets
- How to Approach Conversations With Parents About Routine Pediatric Vaccination
- Building Confidence When Talking to Parents About Children’s Vaccines
- Explaining the Vaccine Safety System
Other Resources
- Counseling Guide: Anticipatory Guidance to Recommend Routine Vaccination for Adults
- Email Template: Messages to Use in Vaccine Communications
- Patient Education Infographic: What Your Doctor Wants You to Know About Vaccines for Kids
These tools are developed in collaboration with Pfizer, Inc.
Vaccine Call to Action Statement
In November 2021, the AAFP partnered with Pfizer to develop materials for family physicians to use at the point of care. These materials are intended to build vaccine confidence, provide accurate vaccination information and provide recommendations and guidance on routine vaccination.
To achieve the goals of this initiative, the AAFP recommends:
- Vaccinating all age groups, per the CDC recommendations, regardless of economic and insurance status,
- Vaccinating patients during routine well/annual health check- ups,
- Educating physicians and healthcare teams about CDC-recommended vaccinations,
- Addressing misinformation and myths about vaccinations, and
- Implementing evidence-based interventions to improve vaccination rates.
Patient Vaccine Education - in 50 Seconds
This short video supports your patient conversations about getting vaccinated. It explains that vaccines are extremely safe and why it's important to health at all stages of life.
They can read more in the Vaccines: Myth Versus Fact article.