Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP)- Information for Parents

How vaccines work

Vaccines are an important and safe way to keep you healthy. Most vaccine-preventable diseases are caused by germs that are called viruses or bacteria. Vaccines to help prevent these diseases generally contain weakened or killed viruses or bacteria specific to the disease. Vaccines help your body recognize and fight these germs and protect you each time you come in contact with someone who is sick with any of these diseases. There are a series of steps that your body goes through to develop immunity through vaccination:

• First - a vaccine with weakened or killed viruses or bacteria is given by a shot (influenza vaccine may be given by a nasal spray and rotavirus vaccine is given by mouth). 
• Next - over the next few weeks your body makes antibodies and memory cells against the weakened or dead germs in the vaccine.
• Then - the antibodies can fight the real disease if you are exposed to the disease germs and they invade your body. The antibodies will help destroy the germs so you won't get sick.
• Finally - antibodies and memory cells stay on guard in your body for years after you're vaccinated to protect you from the disease. This protection is called immunity.

• Check CT WiZ FAQs for answers to common questions about your child’s immunization record.

All doctors and health care providers in Connecticut who vaccinate children under 19 years of age participate in the Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP) and can give your child the vaccines he or she needs. If you need help finding a health care provider for your child, call (860) 509-7929 to find a CVP provider near you.

Children & Teens (Birth through 18 years)

• Vaccines for your children: Protect your child at every age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
• Vaccines Recommended for Preteens and Teens – (CDC)
• Health Assessment Record (Kindergarten through 12^th grade) (State Department of Education)
• Early Childhood Health Assessment Record (Birth through Age 5) (Office of Early Childhood)
• Required vaccines for college, school, child care, and camp (DPH)
• Adolescent and Adult Quiz-what vaccines do you need? (CDC)

College Students

If your child is a college student—or soon to be one—making sure he or she is fully vaccinated is critically important, especially for those who will be living in a dormitory or another shared space. That’s because large groups of people in close proximity provide the ideal conditions for spreading diseases, including those that are vaccine-preventable.

Vaccines can help keep students from contracting serious illnesses and missing classes. Make sure your child is protected against diseases like:

• Meningococcal (Meningitis) (CDC)
• Influenza (Flu) (CDC)
• Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (CDC)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) (CDC)

Resources for more information on childhood vaccinations:

• Reliable Sources of Immunization Information Where Parents Can Go To Find Answers! (IAC)
• Parents: Vaccines For Your Children (CDC)
• Dr. Ari Brown provides the answers to parent’s most common questions about vaccines in her article Clear Answers and Smart Advice about Your Baby’s Shots.
• Voices for Vaccines is a parent-driven organization supported by scientists, doctors, and public health officials that provides parents clear, science-based information about vaccines and vaccine-preventable disease, as well as an opportunity to join the national discussion about the importance of on-time vaccination.
• Families Fighting Flu
• Vaccine Safety (CDC)
• Vaccine Safety: The Facts (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• An explanation of “Herd Immunity” from the History of Vaccines, an award-winning informational, educational website created by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
• Additional Resources (DPH)

If you have questions or feedback regarding vaccinating your child or about the CVP, contact the Connecticut Immunization Program at (860) 509-7929 or via email at dph.immunizations@ct.gov.

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