Vaccinations
Babies, children and adults need vaccinations to protect their health and prevent the spread of serious diseases. At Advocate Health Care, our providers offer routine vaccinations in multiple convenient locations. We provide all the preventive services you need to help your whole family stay healthy.
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a medical treatment that helps your body build immunity to a specific disease. Most vaccines are needle injections, although some may be given as a nasal spray or by mouth. If you have a fear of needles, your provider may be able to offer alternate solutions or recommendations to help lessen anxiety.
How do vaccines work?
Most vaccines contain weakened or inactive (dead) viruses or bacteria that cause specific diseases. These inactive viruses don’t infect you with the virus or make you sick. Rather, they tell your body to create antibodies, which are immune cells that recognize that specific bacteria or virus. Then, when your body encounters those germs again, the antibodies fight the infection effectively.
Some vaccines, such as the COVID vaccine, don’t contain weakened or dead viruses or bacteria. Instead, they contain molecules that tell your body how to create certain proteins found on the virus or bacteria. These proteins trigger an immune response so your body produces antibodies.
Why are immunizations important?
Many infectious diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, were once common – and often life-threatening. But the development of vaccines has helped eliminate many of these diseases.
Vaccines help your body build immunity to these diseases and help prevent their spread to your family and others. Vaccines also help you avoid problems caused by getting sick, such as:
- Missing work or school
- Paying more for medical care
- Being unable to care for yourself and your family
- Becoming severely ill or dying
You can and should get some vaccines yearly, such as the flu shot. You might need other vaccines at various ages or in certain situations, such as for health care work or international travel.
What vaccines should I get?
The vaccines you need depend on your age, overall health and risk factors. You may ask your provider about which vaccines you need.
Health care providers recommend getting vaccinated for chickenpox during childhood. If you never got a chickenpox vaccine or have never had chickenpox, you may still be eligible to get the shot. Find out more about the chickenpox vaccine.
The CDC recommends children follow a specific vaccination schedule in their first few years of life. This schedule is designed to lower their risk of severe, potentially life-threatening diseases. Learn more about children’s vaccinations.
You may need a dose of the COVID vaccine, depending on when you were last vaccinated for the virus. Discover more about the COVID vaccine.
Nearly everyone should get an annual flu shot to protect against influenza. You should get your flu shot in October or November to protect yourself during the months when flu season is at its peak. Read more about flu shots.
The HPV vaccine helps prevent multiple types of cancer associated with HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Health care providers recommend getting the HPV vaccine during adolescence, but you may still be able to get it as an adult. Find out more about the HPV vaccine.
Adolescents and young adults have a higher risk of meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease can cause an infection of the protective covering around your brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Learn more about the meningococcal vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccines protect infants, children and adults from pneumococcal disease. Without vaccination, people who get pneumococcal disease have a higher risk of severe pneumonia and other infections. Discover more about the pneumococcal vaccine.
Experts recommend that all adults over age 50 get the shingles (Shingrix®) vaccine. You need the vaccine regardless of whether you’ve had shingles, chickenpox or previous vaccination with the old Zostavax® vaccine. Read more about the shingles vaccine.
Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccines, also called tetanus boosters, provide continued protection against tetanus and diphtheria. You usually need a tetanus booster every 10 years. Find out more about Td vaccines.
Before traveling abroad, make sure you’re up to date on all necessary vaccines. You may need vaccines or medicines to prevent diseases that are more common in certain countries. Learn more about travel vaccinations.
The medical decisions you make while pregnant affect both you and your baby. You may need vaccines to protect you and your baby from serious diseases before and after you give birth. Discover more about vaccinations during pregnancy.
Convenient, comprehensive vaccinations
We make it easy to get the right vaccines at the right time to keep you healthy. We offer:
- Easy appointment scheduling: You can get vaccines at locations across the Chicago metro area. And we can usually get you in quickly for a vaccination – sometimes on the same day. You can schedule vaccine appointments with your primary care provider.
- Skilled vaccination team: You receive vaccinations from an experienced team trained to administer vaccines. Our nurses and medical assistants help make your experience smooth and easy.
- Affordable options: Health insurance often covers the cost of preventive care, including vaccines. Check with your insurance company to see if you have any out-of-pocket costs. Find out which insurance plans we accept. If you don’t have insurance, our team can help you understand your costs. Learn more about pricing and financial assistance.
- Vaccine reminders and history: The LiveWell app and website provide reminders of when you are due for a vaccine. You can also access your health record to keep track of vaccines you receive from any Advocate provider.
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