Vaccines protect your health and the health of people around you. Jefferson County Health Department follows CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) guidelines for immunizations.
We offer free vaccines for eligible children through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program and free vaccines for eligible adults through the Section 317 Vaccine Program. We can also bill most insurance plans. For uninsured or underinsured adults, discounted vaccines may be available.
For people who cannot leave their homes, homebound vaccinations are available. Call our office for details.
Vaccines Required for School
Required vaccinations for students enrolled in and attending schools in Missouri:
2025-2026 School Year Vaccination Requirements
2026-2027 School Year Vaccination Requirements
Missouri allows medical and religious exemptions for school-required vaccines. We recommend contacting your school district to see which forms they accept.
Religious exemption form
Medical exemption form
Recommended Vaccines
Travel Related Vaccinations
International travel can increase your chances of getting or spreading diseases that are rare in the United States. Before you go, find out which travel vaccines you may need to help keep you healthy during your trip.
Check the CDC website to see what vaccines you need for your trip. Find a clinic that provides the correct vaccines.
JCHD does not provide travel vaccinations.
What diseases do vaccines protect against?
| Vaccine-Preventable Disease | Disease Complications |
|---|---|
| Diphtheria Illness caused by a toxin produced by bacteria that infects the nose, throat, and sometimes skin. | Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death |
| Tetanus (Lockjaw) Bacterial infection of brain and nerves caused by spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin | Seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death |
| Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway; spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death; especially dangerous for babies |
| Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs, brain and spinal cord, or bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact | Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include brain damage, hearing loss, loss of arm or leg, death |
| Pneumococcal Bacterial infections of ears, sinuses, lungs, or bloodstream; spread through direct contact with respiratory droplets like saliva or mucus | Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include infection of the lungs (pneumonia), blood poisoning, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, death |
| Polio Contagious viral infection of nerves and brain; spread through the mouth from stool on contaminated hands, food or liquid, and by air and direct contact | Paralysis, death |
| Measles (Rubeola) Contagious viral infection that causes high fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and rash; spread through air and direct contact | Brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death |
| Mumps Contagious viral infection that causes fever, tiredness, swollen cheeks, and tender swollen jaw; spread through air and direct contact | Brain swelling, painful and swollen testicles or ovaries, deafness, death |
| Rubella (German Measles) Contagious viral infection that causes low-grade fever, sore throat, and rash; spread through air and direct contact | Very dangerous in pregnant women; can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, severe birth defects |
| Chickenpox (Varicella) Contagious viral infection that causes fever, headache, and an itchy, blistering rash; spread through air and direct contact | Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death |
| HPV (Human papillomavirus) Contagious viral infection spread by close skin-to-skin touching, including during sex | Genital warts and many types of cancers later in life, including cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and throat |
| RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia) and small airways of the lungs; especially dangerous for infants and young children |
| Hepatitis B Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood or semen | Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer, death |
| Dengue Viral infection spread by bite from infected mosquito; causes, fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, rash, joint pain, body ache, nausea, loss of appetite, feeling tired, abdominal pain | Severe bleeding, seizures, shock, damage to the liver, heart, and lungs, death |
| Mpox Contagious viral infection spread through close, often skin-to-skin contact, including sex; causes a painful rash, fever, headache, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes | Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), eye infection, blindness, death |
| Meningococcal Contagious bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or the bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact | Loss of arm or leg, deafness, seizures, death |
| Rotavirus Contagious viral infection of the gut; spread through the mouth from hands and food contaminated with stool | Severe diarrhea, dehydration, death |
| COVID-19 Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu. Spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia); blood clots; liver, heart or kidney damage; long COVID; death |
| Influenza (Flu) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, death |
| Hepatitis A Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread by contaminated food or drink or close contact with an infected person | Liver failure, death |