Annual Rates for Teens
Starting at age 11 or 12, adolescents are recommended to receive Tdap, HPV and Meningococcal vaccine. Teens should get one dose of Tdap vaccine by age 13 to protect from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Tdap is required for 7th grade school attendance in Oregon. Teens should start the HPV immunization series at age 11 or 12. HPV vaccine prevents related cancers; according to the CDC, around 80% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime if not immunized. Two doses of HPV vaccine are recommended before age 13. Meningococcal vaccine for strains A, C, W and Y, is also recommended for teens, starting at age 11 or 12, with a second dose at age 16.
Oregon measures immunization rates for 13-year-olds and 13 through 17 year-olds every May. Rates are based on ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS) data. ALERT IIS teen records are weighted based upon the time since their last vaccination to account for adolescent mobility. Adolescent vaccination rates have been increasing incrementally in Oregon, but significant gaps exist for individual vaccines such as HPV.