Vaccines for Adolescents

Information for adolescent patients about what vaccines they need, where to find them, and other common questions.

On this page:
What vaccines do adolescents need?
How do I know which vaccines I have and haven't already received?
Where can I get vaccinated?
What about paying for vaccines?
Which vaccines are required for school?
Where can I get more information?

What vaccines do adolescents need?

How do I know which vaccines I have and haven’t already received?

Where can I get vaccinated?

  • Find a Flu Shot

    This clinic locator will help you find community sites that provide influenza vaccine during flu season. Not all sites can vaccinate adolescents, so check the listing to make sure.

    For influenza and all other vaccines, ask at your medical home – the place you regularly receive health care. If your health care provider isn’t able to provide the vaccines you need, he or she may refer you to a different clinic, a pharmacy, a retail location, or a local public health agency. If you don’t have a medical home, you can call your local public health agency for guidance.

What about paying for vaccines?

  • Can my child get free or low cost shots? (PDF: 63KB/1 page)
    Patient self-screening form.
    Most pediatricians and family medicine physicians in Minnesota participate in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children program. You qualify to be vaccinated at low to no cost if you are under 19 years old and any of the following conditions apply:

    • You are uninsured
    • You have insurance, but it won’t cover the vaccine you need, or you have already reached your annual coverage cap (“underinsured”)
    • You are eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare
    • You are an American Indian or Alaska Native

    If you are uninsured, you may be requested or required to pay a fee for the administration of the vaccine, although not for the vaccine itself. Contact a Community Health Center about low- or no-fee vaccination.

    If you are underinsured, you may also be subject to a fee, and only certain facilities can vaccinate you within the Vaccines for Children program. You can search by your county at Vaccine Clinics Serving Underinsured Children.

    If you do have private insurance that covers vaccines, there is usually no copayment for an immunization-only visit. Call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to find out for sure what your coverage is.

Which vaccines are required for school?

  • Quick Reference to Minnesota’s Immunization Laws
    In addition to being up-to-date on the vaccines required in earlier grades, seventh-graders in Minnesota are required to get either Td (tetanus and diphtheria only) or Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine, unless an exemption applies. While Td is allowable under state law, national recommendations call for Tdap instead. MDH strongly encourages adolescents to receive all recommended vaccines, including Tdap, meningococcal, and HPV.

Where can I get more information?

Updated Monday, 08-Apr-2013 09:23:18 CDT