The County of San Diego urges parents to make sure their preteens
(11-12 year old's) are immunized against serious diseases, such as
COVID-19, pertussis (whooping cough), Human Papillomavirus (HPV),
meningitis, and influenza (flu).
An important focus of
Preteen Vaccine Week is increasing immunization rates against Human
Papillomavirus (HPV). There are two types of HPV vaccines, and both
are highly effective at preventing the common types of HPV that can
lead to certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer, mouth and
throat cancers later in life.
Make sure your children are vaccinated so that they are ready for
school! We recommend getting vaccinated now rather than later so that
you don't have to wait in those long vaccination lines!
California State Immunization Requirements for Schools
- It is required by California State Law to have preteens up to date with their immunizations before starting 7th grade.
- Visit ShotsForSchool for updates about COVID-19
vaccine requirements for school.
Vaccine Schedule
- Download the Immunizations Schedule to see what vaccines are recommended for your preteen.
- Download the Adolescent Immunizations Schedule Tables to learn more and see if your preteen needs any catch up vaccines.
On This Page—Learn About:
Promotional Materials | Vaccines Your Preeteen Needs | Resources
Materials are available for download to help promote Preteen Vaccine Week.
- Drop-In Article
- Infographic
-
Social Media Messages—Help us share these
immunization awareness messages with the community. Messaging is
available below and will be disseminated throughout the month,
please share or re-tweet when you see them!
- Twitter: SDCountyHHSA | SanDiegoCounty | livewell_sd
- Facebook: SDCountyHHSA | County of San Diego - Government | LiveWellSD
- Instagram: livewell_sd | countyofsandiego
Preteens need vaccines to prevent serious diseases.
Are your
kids vaccinated?
#PreteenVaxCA
tinyurl.com/PreteenVaccineWeek
Many kids missed out on routine vaccines during the pandemic. Make sure your preteen isn’t one of them! Preteen vaccines protect against serious diseases and cancer. #PreteenVaxCA
tinyurl.com/PreteenVaccineWeek
COVID vaccines prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Make sure your preteen has gotten the updated (bivalent) COVID booster!
Call your doctor or visit MyTurn.ca.gov to make an appointment. #PreteenVaxCA #BeCOVIDSafe
All incoming 7th graders in California must show proof of Tdap vaccination and 2 doses of chickenpox before entry. Make sure your student is ready for school by scheduling their preteen vaccine appointment today! #PreteenVaxCA
A lot of parents never find out where their children picked up bacterial meningitis; just sharing a soda might bring infection. Shield your precious preteen with the MenACWY vaccine. #PreteenVaxCA
Vaccines and what diseases they protect against
Your preteen may also need to catch up on other vaccines they may have missed such as MMR, Varicella, or HepB. Ask your health care provider if your child is up to date on their vaccines.
Vaccination is one of the most important tools to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 vaccines are available for children. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility webpage for more information
For local updates, visit Coronavirus-SD.com
HPV is a group of more than 150 viruses that can make you sick. These
common viruses cause illnesses in 14 million people each year.
HPV infections are spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact and can lead to certain types of cancers. Every year in the United States, HPV causes 36,000 cases of cancer in men and women.
The HPV vaccine helps prevent certain cancers and infections. The HPV
vaccine is recommended for both boys and girls at 9-12 years of age.
It’s important to get this vaccine during the preteen years because
the body's natural defense system responds better to the vaccine at
these ages. A series of 2 or 3 doses is recommended for girls and
boys to help protect them.
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a common disease that causes a respiratory infection, a complication that affects a person's nose and throats. It can cause severe coughing spells that lead to vomiting or broken ribs. Preteens suffering from whooping cough can be hospitalized and miss weeks of school. Older children and adults can accidentally spread pertussis to babies who are too young to get a vaccine.
There are 2 vaccines that help protect children against whooping
cough: DTaP and Tdap. Both also protect against
diphtheria (another respiratory disease) and tetanus (also known as
"lock jaw". Tdap is approved for pre-teen use starting at
age 11. Preteens need one dose of the Tdap vaccine. This vaccine does
not offer lifetime protection, people will need to get a
"booster" shot every 10 years, including adults.
Meningococcal disease is caused by a bacterium that often causes
severe illness, including infections of the brain or spinal cord
(meningitis) or infections of the bloodstream. The most common
symptoms include sudden fever, headache, or stiff neck; other symptoms
include nausea, vomiting, eyes being more sensitive to light, and
confusion.
Meningococcal disease can be treated with antibiotics, but
quick medical attention is very important, 10% of teens who get the
disease die, and another 15% suffer long-term disability such as loss
of limbs, deafness, problems with their nervous system, or brain damage.
Vaccines can help keep your preteen from getting seriously ill from the meningococcal bacteria and are the best defense against meningococcal disease.
There are 2 types of meningococcal vaccines available in the United States that prevent the most common causes of meningococcal disease. Talk to your health care provider for more information about which vaccine your preteen needs.
Influenza or the flu is a serious illness caused by the influenza
virus. It causes problems in your nose, upper airways, throat, and
lungs. The flu can spread from person to person very easily and can
cause greater problems for people that have other health
issues.
Common symptoms that people with the flu may experience include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, tiredness, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get an influenza (flu) vaccine every year during flu season. Getting your flu vaccine decreases your risk of getting seriously ill and being hospitalized. Flu seasons last through the spring season, so it is not too late to get your flu shot!
San Diego County Resources
- Clinic Locations — Find where to get your vaccines.
-
Immunizations Unit — Stay up to date with the
San Diego County Immunization website.
- Flu Resources — Find additional flu posters, flyers, videos, and social media materials.
California Immunization Resources
- Preteen Vaccine Week — CDPH provides information and materials for schools, providers, and the media to promote preteen doctor visits during Preteen Vaccine Week.
- Immunization Branch — Find school vaccine requirements, recommended vaccines, state outbreaks, program information and additional California state resources.
- 7th Grade Vaccine Requirements — Make sure your preteen is vaccinated before entering 7th grade; it is a California law to be up to date with your vaccinations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Resources
- Vaccines at 11-12 Years — Learn about the vaccines 11 and 12 year old's need and why vaccinations are important.
-
Preteen Vaccine Schedule (PDF)— See the
immunization schedule for preteens ages 7-18.
Promotional Resources
- Flyers and Posters for Preteens and Teens
- Fact Sheets
-
Video and Audio Resources—Preteen and Teen
Videos
Videos
For more information or to request
materials,
contact the San Diego Immunization Unit via e-mail or call us at (866) 358-2966.
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