Frequently Asked Questions

You can fill out our immunization record request form or call us at 319-385-0779

Yes. Vaccines go through a lot of research and testing before they are approved by the FDA. Even after they are approved and in use, experts continue to closely monitor their safety to make sure they stay safe and effective.

Yes, children can get vaccinated even if they have a mild illness like a cold, earache, or diarrhea

Yes. In fact, babies come into contact with many more germs every day than the small number of antigens (the parts that help build immunity) in vaccines. The recommended vaccine schedule is designed to protect people—babies, kids, and adults—at the times when they are most at risk of getting sick. It’s based on strong evidence that the vaccines work well and are safe.

You’re not imagining it—kids do get more shots now than they did a few years ago. But thanks to advances in science, those shots contain far fewer antigens.

Back in 1983, children under age 2 got vaccines for 7 diseases, with over 3,000 antigens. Today, they’re protected against 15 diseases, but with only about 180 antigens. That means today’s vaccines do more with less. We also have combination vaccines now that protect your child against more than one disease with a single shot.

Any vaccine can cause side effects. Most side effects are minor (for example, redness, swelling and soreness at the site, fussiness or low-grade fever) and go away within a few days. Click here to learn more about possible side effects from vaccines.

It usually takes about two weeks for vaccines to start working. Babies need several doses of some vaccines so their immune system can learn and remember how to fight off the disease properly.

Vaccines are recommended for travel outside the U.S. and are based on where you go and what you are doing. Use this interactive website to find information specific to your trip. You can also call the University of Iowa Travel Medicine Clinic at 319-356-4252 or contact your local physician.

You can visit our page about Immunizations for Children to find out more.

You can also view the American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule here

You can visit our page about Immunizations for Adults to find out more.

You can also view the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule from the American Academy of Family Physicians here

• Vaccines will be billed to primary insurance if possible*. Children ages 18 years or younger who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Medicaid-eligible, Uninsured, or Underinsured can receive vaccines at no charge through the VFC (Vaccine for Children) program. Adults who are uninsured or whose insurance doesn’t pay for vaccines may receive vaccines at no charge through a new Vaccines for Adults program. Click here to see which vaccines are included. 

*We currently cannot bill to private United Healthcare insurance, but we can still bill to United Healthcare Medicare plans.

Even though many of the diseases we vaccinate against aren’t common in the U.S. anymore, they still exist in other parts of the world. It only takes one plane ride with a sick person to spread these diseases.

Vaccination rates have gone down in some areas of the U.S., and because of that, there have been outbreaks of diseases like measles and whooping cough. When adults and kids are vaccinated against common diseases, it also helps protect people whose immune system isn’t fully functioning or who haven’t been able to be vaccinated yet.

No. Autism is often diagnosed around the same time children receive routine vaccinations, which has led to concerns about a connection—but decades of scientific research have confirmed that vaccines do not cause autism. Scientists have found that autism is usually caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors. 

There are more cases of autism being diagnosed now, but that doesn’t mean autism is happening more often. The increase is mostly because people know more about autism, doctors use better tools to find it, and the definition of autism now includes a wider range of behaviors.

Click here to learn more from autismspeaks.org.

No. Thimerosal was removed more than 20 years ago from all required childhood vaccines.

Background: Thimerosal has been used for decades to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in certain medicines and vaccines. Thimerosal is a vaccine preservative containing ethylmercury. Ethylmercury is quickly eliminated by your body and does not cause harm. Ethylmercury is not the same type of mercury associated with fish. The type of mercury in fish is called methylmercury.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), chickenpox, inactivated polio, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccines have never contained thimerosal and thimerosal was removed from most other vaccines in 2001. Flu vaccine stored in multi-dose vials have a small amount of thimerosal so they don’t spoil, but we use single-dose vials, NOT multi-dose vials.

There is no link between thimerosal and autism.