Immunizations

Immunizations are not just for infants and young children. This page will help you find the proper immunizations for you and your family, whether you're entering school, heading off to college, going abroad, or looking to get your annual flu shot.

Overview of Services

• Provides education about recommended immunizations that are available to children and adults per the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations.
• Children (0-18 years of age) Immunizations through the CA Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) required for schools and childcare, including those immunizations that are recommended.
• Back-to-School Clinics at local schools.
• Adult (19+ years of age) Immunizations through the CA 317-Local Health Department Program and the Bridge Access Program (BAP) for recommended vaccines including COVID-19.
• Seasonal Flu & COVID-19 Vaccines each fall for all 6 months of age and older.
• Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program – the goal is to prevent the perinatal transmission of hepatitis B by promoting the following: prenatal testing of all pregnant women for hepatitis B infection, appropriate immunoprophylaxis of infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive women, post-vaccination serologic testing of exposed infants, and screening and vaccination of close contacts.
• Rabies vaccines as a treatment before exposure and after the exposure. 

Vaccines for Children (VFC) can help(PDF, 1MB).  The VFC Federal program provides FREE vaccines to children who qualify 0-18 years.

Immunizations shown above are available by appointment at the Public Health Clinics in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe.

Schedule an Appointment

Placerville

Call: (530) 621-6100
931 Spring Street, Placerville, CA

South Lake Tahoe

Call: (530) 573-3155
1360 Johnson Blvd., Suite 103, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Cost

The immunizations are low-cost for people who have no health insurance or are Alaskan-Native. For children who have are enrolled in the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP) or CA Medi-Cal (Anthem Blue Cross, Mountain Valley Health Plan, Kaiser Medi-Cal Plan, or Straight Medi-Cal) Insurance, there is no cost. Public Health does not charge for the cost of the vaccine but does charge a $10 fee for administering the vaccine. No one will be turned away due to the inability to pay for administration fee.

Private vaccines (such as Rabies) will have different cost, contact our office staff to inquire pricing for these vaccines.

Learn More about Immunizations 

For additional information on the Flu Vaccine, visit the CDC Influenza (Flu) webpage.

Shots for Infants and Adolescents 

Are your children up-to-date on their shots?
Check the Immunization Schedule for kids age 0-18 and Vaccinations Required to Attend California Schools.

Did you know your child can get FREE vaccines?(PDF, 1MB)

Shots for Teens and College Students

As children get older, protection from some early childhood vaccines can wear off. Pre-teens, teens, and college students can benefit from many vaccines. Did you know that meningitis can be fatal? Meningitis can kill in a matter of days! The good news is that most types of bacterial meningitis can be prevented through vaccines.

Find out more about pre-teen and teen immunizations

Find out more about college student immunizations

Vaccines for Your Preteen

• The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) currently recommends that 11- and 12-year-olds receive COVID-19, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal, and seasonal flu vaccines. (The HPV vaccine can be given starting at age 9 years.) Some preteens may also need to catch-up on other immunizations, including chickenpox (if they do not have their 2nd dose), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), and hepatitis B. In California, a Tdap booster shot and two shots of chickenpox vaccine are now required before 7th grade.”
• “Immunizations Recommended for Preteens 11-and 12-year-olds need five vaccines to protect them against serious diseases: ✓ Tdap vaccine to help prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. All incoming 7th graders need proof of a Tdap vaccine and two doses of chickenpox vaccine before starting school. ✓ Two doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect against HPV-related cancers and infections. ✓ Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) to protect against certain serious types of bacterial meningitis and other related infections. ✓ A seasonal flu vaccine to protect against serious illness caused by the flu. ✓ COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe COVID-19 outcomes.”
  • Older children and teens need vaccines too!  2024 Recommended Immunization for Children 7-18 Years Old
  • Immunization Recommendations and Screening Requirements for California Colleges

Shots for Adults

Some adults think vaccines they got as children protect them for life. This can true, except that:

• Some adults were never vaccinated as children
• Newer vaccines were not available when some adults were children
• Immunity can fade over time
• As we age, we become more susceptible to diseases caused by common infections (e.g., flu, pneumococcus)

Learn more about adult immunizations

Find pharmacies in El Dorado County that offer immunizations

Flu, COVID-19, and RSV Vaccines

• The first and most important step to protect yourself against respiratory illnesses is to get vaccinated. Children and Older Adults are recommended to get these vaccines as they are at higher risk for illness. To find a seasonal Flu or COVID-19 vaccine near you please visit the Vaccine.gov webpage to locate a provider or pharmacy near you.
• Free Community Flu Vaccine Clinics - News Release - English(PDF, 172KB) | Spanish(PDF, 173KB)
  • West Slope Community Flu Vaccine Clinics Flyer(PDF, 663KB)
  • South Lake Tahoe Community Flu Vaccine Clinics Flyer(PDF, 653KB)
• Heath Officer Notification - 2024-2025 Influenza Season, Vaccination and Mask Recommendations for Healthcare Workers(PDF, 422KB)

Travel Immunizations

If you travel to another country, you may want to get vaccinated against certain diseases to protect yourself. El Dorado County Public Health does not give travel immunizations. However, several places in our area can give travel vaccines:

• Travel Vaccine Clinic Finder (https://www.istm.org/clinic-directory/) 
• Get Vaccinated Before You Travel