Adolescent immunizations

Percent of Minnesota adolescents, immunized with:

Protect adolescents through immunization

The percentage of adolescents who have received recommended immunizations is called the "coverage rate." Adolescents age 11 to 12 years are recommended to get three vaccines:

  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects against cancers caused by HPV.
  • Meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine, which protects against meningococcal disease.
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, which offers protection against pertussis, also called whooping cough. Adolescents need this dose because protection from pertussis received in childhood vaccines decreases as they get older.

In order to protect the population from vaccine-preventable disease, Healthy People 2030 Vaccination goals call for 80 percent coverage for these three vaccines among adolescents age 13 to 15 years.

Adolescents aged 16 years are recommended to receive a meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) booster dose and talk with their health care provider if they should get meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine.

Late or missed vaccines can put adolescents at higher risk of catching diseases that can make them very sick or lead to poor health outcomes in the future like cancer. State-level immunization rates are also available from the CDC's National Immunization Survey (NIS) at TeenVaxView. For more information on how adolescent immunization rates from MIIC compare to NIS coverage estimates, see Adolescent Immunization Rates.

Routinely Recommended Vaccines

11 - 12 year old vaccine platform Recommended dose(s) before 19 years

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

2 or 3*

Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY)

1

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap)

1
16 year old vaccine platform Recommended dose(s) before 17 years

Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY)

1

Meningococcal B (MenB)

Recommended for individuals in consultation with a clinician

2 or 3**

Notes:
*Adolescents younger than age 15 years are recommended to receive 2 doses of vaccine. Immunocompromised adolescents at any age are recommended to receive 3 doses.
**Men B vaccine is recommended for adolescents aged 16 – 23 years. The preferred age range to receive this vaccine is 16 – 18 years. The number of doses depends on the vaccine product and special health and situation considerations.
   

Adolescent immunization in Minnesota

Percent of Minnesota 13-year-olds immunized with the 11-12 year old vaccine platform*

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Source: 2023 Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)

*MIIC-based immunization rates

Platform includes: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine; meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine; and series completion of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Most adolescents are getting vaccinated on-time with tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine and meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine, but only 55% are starting the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series. Only 28% of adolescent receive all recommended doses of Tdap, MenACWY and HPV vaccines.

Percent of Minnesota 19-year-olds immunized with the 16 year old vaccine platform*

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Source: 2023 Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)

*MIIC-based immunization rates

Adolescents aged 16 years are recommended to receive a meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) booster dose and talk with their health care provider if they should get meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine.

Many older adolescents are not getting vaccinated on-time with meningococcal vaccines. In 2023, about 62% of adolescents received the MenAWCY booster dose by age 19 years. Only about 20% initiated the meningococcal B vaccine series.

Last updated September 2023