It’s time to ensure your pre-teen is up to date on essential care.
Keeping your pre-teen current on recommended immunizations is one way to keep them healthy throughout the school year, flu season and beyond. Vaccines work best if your child gets them at the recommended age.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 11- to 12-year-olds get vaccinated against the following diseases:
Getting your kids vaccinated reduces the risk of illness, which can keep your child from missing school and you from missing work. More importantly, vaccines reduce the risk of these conditions becoming serious and even deadly.
Meningococcal (one dose)
Whooping cough, or pertussis (one dose of Tdap vaccine)
HPV (two doses of vaccine 6 to 12 months apart)
Influenza (flu) (one dose of vaccine every year)
COVID-19 (primary vaccine series and boosters – updated bivalent booster is now available for preteens)
Vaccinations are safe and effective. Like any medicine, vaccines can have side effects that are usually mild and go away on their own. Children have the best protection when they get all their shots on schedule.
Consult with your family doctor or health care provider to make sure your child is up to date on all the vaccines recommended for their age group and schedule a well child exam.
Recommended vaccines for children are covered at no additional cost to you under your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) plan. At the time of this publication, Blue Cross NC also covers COVID-19 vaccines and boosters that are FDA approved, including for emergency use authorization (EUA), at no cost for all members.
Already had a back-to-school wellness visit or don’t have time to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician? No problem! Get your pre-teen immunizations at a local pharmacy.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in its health programs and activities. Learn more about our non-discrimination policy and no-cost services available to you.
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