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Infant, Child and Adolescent Immunizations

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added misleading claims to its autism webpage. We want to be clear: decades of high-quality, large-scale studies show that vaccines do not cause autism. "Parents deserve peace of mind. Decades of rigorous research have shown vaccines do not cause autism," said Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect children's health and help them thrive."

 – American Academy of Pediatrics

Make sure your children are safe and healthy from disease

Routine childhood vaccinations are one of the most important achievements in public health over the past century. Vaccines are the best way to protect children from birth through age 18 from many childhood diseases. OHA supports the findings of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which provides trusted, science-based recommendations for a series of vaccinations to protect the youngest members of our communities from disease, disability and death.

View AAP's vaccination schedules for:

*Infants can get a head start on their health when the mother receives certain vaccines during pregnancy, including those for pertussis (Tdap), RSV (Abrysvo), flu and COVID-19. See our Immunizations During Pregnancy webpage.


All vaccinations recommended by OHA are safe and supported by robust scientific study. If you're concerned about the safety of some vaccines, we recommend the following reliable, science-based resources to learn more about the manufacturing process, history, ingredients, testing and myths related to vaccines and their safety:

teensimm.png NOTE: Adolescents ages 11-18 are recommended to receive certain vaccines to protect them from the following vaccine-preventable diseases:

View the vaccination recommendations for these adolescents on AAP’s schedule for ages 7 through 18.

For more details, including catch-up schedules and contraindications, view the full AAP immunization schedule.
*Infants can get a head start on their health when the mother receives certain vaccines during pregnancy, including those for pertussis (Tdap), RSV (Abrysvo), flu and COVID-19. See our Immunizations during pregnancy webpage.


SAFETY:  All vaccinations recommended by OHA are safe and supported by robust scientific study. If you're concerned about the safety of some vaccines, we recommend the following reliable, science-based resources to learn more about the manufacturing process, history, ingredients, testing and myths related to vaccines and their safety:

Uninsured children and those receiving OHP benefits

The federally funded Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccinations at no cost to many children in Oregon .

To be eligible for VFC, a child must be younger than 19 and fall into at least one of these categories:

Map of State-Supplied Vaccine Providers

  • Enrolled in Oregon Health Plan (OHP)
  • Uninsured
  • American Indian/Alaskan Native

Children who qualify can receive vaccinations at any clinic that is enrolled in VFC, including private clinics and pharmacies, as well as public sites such as county health department clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) or Rural Health Clinics (RHC).

Parents and guardians seeking vaccinations at no cost through VFC do not have to provide proof of a child's eligibility. Teens ages 15 and older do not need parental consent to receive vaccinations in Oregon.

Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is Oregon's Medicaid program whose members can receive recommended vaccinations at no cost at any location that accepts OHP.

OHP is open to all children and teens younger than 19 who meet income and other criteria, regardless of immigration status. This includes Oregon children and teens who have undocumented status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients .

Learn more about OHP and how to find out if your family, child or teen qualifies.

School vaccination requirements

Children who attend public and private schools, preschools, childcare facilities, and Head Start programs in Oregon must receive certain vaccinations, unless they receive an exemption. Learn more on our School and Childcare Immunization page.

For adolescents preparing to attend a college, university or vocational school should check with the school on what vaccinations are required for full-time and part-time students, at both undergrad and graduate levels.

Learn more on our Immunization Requirements for Colleges webpage.


To learn more, explore these resources from HealthyChildren.org, a website of the American Academy of Pediatrics.