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Vaccines

Infectious respiratory diseases can cause severe and sometimes life-threatening illness. Staying up to date with recommended vaccines is the best way to help avoid severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

Vaccines help protect us from severe illness.

Vaccines offer our best protection against severe illness from respiratory diseases.

Vaccines help protect against more than 20 life-threatening diseases—including infectious respiratory diseases. For decades, vaccines have saved millions of lives and greatly reduced the spread of deadly diseases all over the world. Staying up to date with recommended vaccines is the best way to help protect yourself, those you love, and your community from infectious respiratory disease.

Behind the Science

Learn more about how vaccines work to protect us against the respiratory diseases that viruses and bacteria cause.

Vaccines help your body learn to detect and protect itself against infections. Different vaccines work in different ways, but every vaccine helps our immune systems learn how to fight germs, like viruses and bacteria.

Life doesn’t “paws” when you’re sick.

Getting vaccinated can mean the difference between a mild infection and a severe illness. Take the steps to protect yourself and those you love.

Safety & Effectiveness

Learn more about the rigorous process for vaccine review, approval, and recommendation.

For decades, vaccine development in the U.S. has followed a gold-standard review process that includes rigorous research, multi-stage clinical trials, robust regulatory review and approvals, and ongoing safety monitoring once a vaccine becomes approved and recommended.

The Risks Are Real

The risks of infectious respiratory disease are real and vaccines are a critical tool that help protect against severe outcomes — particularly for children, pregnant people, older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.

Hear from health care providers on their stories and perspectives around the real impact of illness and the importance of prevention.

Cost & Coverage

Learn more about how you can access vaccines against infectious respiratory diseases.

Infectious respiratory diseases are a threat to public health. Vaccines are covered at no or low cost for low-cost for most people.

What Older Adults Need to Know About RSV Vaccines

Help stay protected against severe illness by getting vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Learn more about RSV vaccines for older adults.

Latest Resources

Fast Facts: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
RSV | Vaccines
Fast Facts: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
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The Risks Are Real: Dr. James Bigham
Vaccines | Infectious Respiratory Diseases
The Risks Are Real: Dr. James Bigham
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The Risks are Real: Dr. Catherine DeAngelis
Vaccines | Infectious Respiratory Diseases
The Risks are Real: Dr. Catherine DeAngelis
Read more