When to get vaccinated?

Answer 1

The currently recommended vaccine schedule in the US starts at birth and follows a regular series every few months through the first 18 months of life. After that the recommendations are:

Flu shot every year from 6 mos to 18 years, age 50 on, and in people with certain medical problems and healthy 19-49 year olds who wish to avoid getting the flu.

tetanus, polio, measles/mumps/ rubella and chicken pox (varicella) after age 4.

Tdap (tetanus) booster at age 11-12.

Menactra (meningitis) at age 11-12.

Garadsil (HPV) series of three shots (primarily for girls) at age 11-12.

Tetanus every 10 years.

Pneumovax at age 65 and with certain medical conditions.

There is a new version of one of the infant vaccines out - Prevnar-13. A booster with this new one is recommended for kids under 5 years old who go the full series with the old version.

There are also a lot of special circumstances such as travel, exposures, and some medical conditions that would make other vaccines recommended.