How Long Do Childhood Vaccines Really Last?

Korin Miller
·4 min read
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How Long Do Childhood Vaccines Really Last?

Childhood vaccines are a routine part of pediatrician visits as a child. But, with vaccines in the news so much lately from polio, monkeypox, and COVID-19, you probably have some questions. A big one: How long do childhood vaccines last, and do you still have protection?

It’s important to point out that every person’s response to childhood vaccines—and any vaccine—is different, so there is some variability here, says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. But, in general, it’s thought that your childhood vaccinations will last for a certain period of time. Here’s what you need to know.

So, how long do childhood vaccinations last?

It depends. “Each childhood vaccination is unique and has a certain duration of protection,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Again, there is some variability here but, in general, infectious disease experts and pediatricians say you can expect these timelines for protection from your childhood vaccines:

  • Hepatitis A: 20 years

  • Hepatitis B: more than 30 years

  • Rotavirus: 2 to 3 years

  • Haemophilus influenzae (Hib): unknown

  • Pneumococcal: 5 to 10 years

  • Polio: unknown

  • Diphtheria: 10 years

  • Tetanus: 10 years

  • Whooping cough (pertussis): 5 years

  • Chickenpox (varicella): 10 to 20 years

  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): potentially lifelong

  • HPV: 10 years

  • Meningitis: 5 years

  • Flu: 6 months

In the case of vaccines that don’t last a lifetime, Dr. Adalja says that typically won’t impact your overall health. Meaning, you don't need to rush to get a booster or anything. Instead, the vaccines and vaccine schedule is designed in a way to help protect you when you need it most from certain viruses and bacteria.

“It may not be necessary for certain infections to have protection throughout your life because the risk period may have passed,” Dr. Adalja explains. A good example: Rotavirus is considered the most risky for children under 3, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so having immunity wane by the time you’re two or three shouldn't be a problem.

“If you follow the recommendations, then you should be good to go,” says Daniel Ganjian, M.D., a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif.

“They really are targeting when you’re at greatest risk for acquiring certain infection,” says Ian Michelow, M.D., division head of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group.

But, Dr. Adalja adds, certain vaccines like the flu and tetanus shots “require vaccination throughout adulthood.”

When do you receive your childhood vaccinations?

There’s a recommended timeline for receiving your childhood vaccines, and the CDC breaks it down online:

  • Hepatitis A: 12 to 15 months

  • Hepatitis B: birth, 1 to 3 months, 6 to 15 months

  • Rotavirus: 2 months, 4 months

  • Haemophilus influenzae (Hib): 2 months, 4 months, 12 to 15 months

  • Pneumococcal: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 to 15 months

  • Polio: 2 months, 4 months, 6 to 18 months, 4 to 6 years

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP): 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, 4 to 6 years

  • Chickenpox: 12 to 15 months, 4 to 6 years

  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): 12 to 15 months, 4 to 6 years

  • HPV: 2 to 3 shots, starting at 9 years

  • Meningococcal: 11 to 12 years, 16 years

  • Flu: 6 months, then annual

Keep in mind, per Dr. Ganjian, that you may need to get some of these vaccines again when you’re older. “Some high-risk jobs require increased amounts of vaccination compared to other people,” he says, noting that people in the military may be required to get more vaccines that those who aren’t in the service.

What should you do if you’re unsure of if you got your childhood vaccines?

There are a few steps you can take if you’re not sure if you had all of your childhood vaccines.

You could see if your doctor is able to access your vaccination records or if your previous schools still have them. Keep in mind, though, that if you attended school in the U.S., you likely had to have your childhood vaccines first, Dr. Ganjian says. Also, “if you're an otherwise healthy adult, you may not need these vaccines anymore,” Dr. Michelow says. But, if you really want or need to know, you can get blood tests for antibodies to see if you’re protected, he says. “If you've got antibodies, you’re protected.”

And, if you plan to travel and you’re unsure of your vaccination status, it’s OK to get vaccinated again. “Whenever there’s a question about whether you had the vaccines or not and you’re going to a part of the world where there is polio or another disease, you could go ahead and get an additional dose,” Dr. Russo says.

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