Flu shots mean more quality time and less sick time.
Getting a flu shot keeps your family safe so you can spend more time together and less with the flu.
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What are signs of the flu?
How effective is it?
Is a flu shot right for me?
In 2023–2024, the CDC estimates the flu vaccine prevented:
What is the flu?
Influenza (or the flu, for short) is a viral infection that affects the nose, throat and lungs. The flu is not the same as a stomach bug which may cause nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain.
Headache
Sore throat
Fever
Fatigue
Runny or Stuffy Nose
Cough
Body Aches
Common Flu Symptoms:
But a shot can help prevent or lessen it.
Flu shots are available throughout peak flu season (usually October through March) to help your body fight back. Studies show a flu shot can reduce your risk of getting sick by up to 60%. Plus it helps you protect your loved ones — especially younger or older individuals. By getting your flu shot, you can spend more time enjoying life and less time in bed.
The
flu
is
no
fun
Getting your flu shot means:
More
Memories
Laughs
Holidays
Walks
Family Dinners
Movie Nights
Hugs
Smiles
Vacations
Nights Out
9.8 million
flu-related illnesses
hospitalizations
120,000
medical visits
4.8 million
deaths
7,900
FLU VACCINES
CHILDHOOD VACCINES
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Vaccines train your immune system, helping your body learn how to defend itself from diseases. By staying on schedule with life-saving childhood vaccines, you can keep your kids healthy for fewer sick days and more vacation days.
Get more details about vaccines, see which ones your child needs for school, then schedule a visit with your doctor about a plan to protect your family.
Vaccines help your kids enjoy every moment.
Get the Facts
South Dakota lawmakers work with health experts to create vaccination schedules that help make sure they — and their classmates – stay safe, healthy and in school. They're focused on protecting against diseases that are highly contagious, easily preventable and could affect their learning and social development.
Vaccine Schedules & Resources
Vaccine Requirements
Despite these eye-opening numbers, only 69% of parents consider it "very" or "extremely" important to vaccinate their children — down from 94% in 2001. In South Dakota, vaccination rates for several illnesses have fallen to historic lows. Nearly 10% of young children in South Dakota are not vaccinated against measles, and only 64% of South Dakota children have received all recommended vaccines by age 2 (40th out of 50 states).
Childhood Vaccines
Measles causes a high fever, rash, cough and can lead to serious complications or even death, especially in young children or immunocompromised populations. Mumps is a painful infection that affects the salivary gland, and rubella causes a mild rash which can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women.
Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR)
Diphtheria is a respiratory disease that can cause breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure and death. Pertussis (whooping cough) can make it difficult for infants to eat, drink or breathe. Tetanus attacks the central nervous system and can cause muscle spasms severe enough to fracture bones.
Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (DTaP)
Regular immunizations for influenza and respiratory syncyital virus (RSV) can help prevent sickness, serious illness, hospitalization and death.
Annual COVID vaccines can also prevent infection or decrease the severity of symptoms if your child gets sick. Talk with your doctor about what's best for your family.
RSV, Flu & COVID
Polio can cause severe paralysis, affecting the nerves in the spinal cord and brain stem. Although polio was eradicated for decades, new cases are now popping up around the globe. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented through vaccination.
Polio
The risks that come with getting a disease or illness far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated for it. But for a community to have herd immunity, where enough people are immune to a disease so that it can't spread, 95% of children must be vaccinated against an illness. Be part of the solution and stay up to date on vaccines — not just for your family, but the families around you.
Herd Immunity Helps Keep us Safe.
100 MILLION
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILDHOOD VACCINES?
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Vaccines train your immune system, helping your body learn how to defend itself from diseases without the dangers of infection. Vaccines do not make you sick, cause the disease or put you at risk of its symptoms and complications.
What do vaccines do?
Vaccines are studied through a long, strict system of tests before being approved for use. They have helped us eliminate or nearly eliminate serious illnesses and are received by millions of people each year. The most dangerous thing? Leaving your family susceptible to life-threatening diseases like measles, polio or meningitis.
Vaccines help your body defend itself from diseases without the dangers of infection. Vaccines do not make you sick, cause the disease or put you at risk of its symptoms and complications.
Common questions
Are vaccines safe?
Common Questions
Do vaccines make you sick?
Common Questions
Scientific studies have found no link between vaccines and autism. Possible short-term side effects of vaccines can include soreness, fatigue and dizziness. As for long-term side effects? More birthdays, vacation days and quality time for making memories.
Do vaccines cause autism or other conditions or disorders?
Common Questions
Because of medical advancements, we've been able to develop vaccines against more diseases and gain a better understanding of how children's immune systems work. The current recommended schedule protects your child by giving them vaccines at specific times when their bodies will respond best, ensuring they build long-lasting immunity with as few side effects as possible.
Why do there seem to be more recommended vaccines than when I was a kid?
Common Questions
The recommended vaccine schedule is based on how your child's body will respond to difference vaccines at various ages. They're also designed to protect your child from infection by certain diseases at ages when they could have serious complications. Many vaccines require multiple doses to build strong, lasting immunity and missing doses leaves people only partially protected. A provider can check which doses are missing and create a safe plan to complete them.
Why should I stay up-to-date with the vaccination schedule?
Common Questions
WHAT IS...
WHAT IS...
WHAT IS...
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Over the past 50 years, childhood vaccines have saved the lives of over 100 million infants.
20 MILLION
Over 20 million people who would have otherwise been paralyzed are able to walk.
508 MILLION
Researchers estimate that getting routine vaccinations will prevent 508 million cases of illnesses in children born between 1994 and 2023.
Save
Lives
Thanks to vaccinations, several diseases are nearly unheard of today — but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. Misinformation surrounding vaccine safety has serious consequences.
Decisions about your child's health should be collaborative. Talk with your doctor about any concerns you have surrounding vaccinations and build a plan to make sure they're protected.
Diseases Decoded
The flu can be severe or even fatal, especialy for older individuals, those with underlying health conditions, immunocompromised people or young children. In 2024, South Dakota had one of the highest death rates from flu in the country. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those around you.
"The flu doesn't seem that serious. Why do I need a flu shot?"
If you're afraid of shots or have kids who hate pokes, you can opt for the flu nasal spray, available for people ages 2–49 who are healthy and not pregnant. Talk to your doctor about the best option for you.
"I don't like needles. Can I skip it?"
common questions
Most flu shots are made of inactivated virus, so they can't make you sick. Your body may have an immune response to getting the shot, so some people can feel a little tired or have a low-grade fever. But that's just their body responding to the vaccine as intended.
"I've heard people say the shot gave them the flu. Is that true?"
Common Questions
The flu shot can be anywhere from 30%–60% effective depending on the year and which strains are most prevalent. But getting vaccinated improves your protection rate, so even if you do get it, your symptoms will be less severe and you'll keep those around you protected.
"The flu shot isn't that effective. Won't I probably get it anyway?"
Common questions
No. During pregnancy, your immune system is weaker, so you need extra protection. Pregnant women especially should consider a flu shot to protect themselves and their unborn child.
"Shouldn't pregnant women avoid the flu shot?"
Common questions
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Sponsored by The South Dakota Department of Health
The South Dakota Department of Health supplies childhood vaccines for children eligible for the federal Vaccines for Children Program. The following conditions apply to eligible children: 1) You cannot be charged for the vaccine; 2) The provider may charge an administration fee but the fee must be waived if you cannot pay; and 3) You may be required to pay an office visit fee to receive the vaccine.
Safety of Vaccines Use for routine immunization of US Children: A Systematic Review. Pedatrics, Maglione et al. (July 1, 2014)
© 2025. All rights reserved.
A flu shot can reduce your risk of getting sick by 60%
common questions
Find a Flu Shot Near You
Find a Provider
The South Dakota Department of Health supplies childhood vaccines for children eligible for the Vaccines for Children Program. The following conditions apply to eligible children: 1) You cannot be charged for the vaccine; 2) The provider may charge an administration fee but the fee must be waived if you cannot pay; and 3) You may be required to pay an office visit fee to receive the vaccine. Children 18 years old or younger who are American Indian or an Alaska Native, Medicaid-eligible, uninsured or underinsured are eligible for the program. For more details and definitions of these terms, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/vfc-information-for-parents/
What is the Vaccines for Children Program?
Common Questions
Meningitis is a disease that causes swelling in areas around the brain and spinal cord. It causes high fever, severe headache and other symptoms and can have much more serious, long-term effects: limb amputation, hearing loss, brain damage or death.
Meningitis
WHAT IS...
Also known as chickenpox, varicella is a highly contagious disease that causes itchy, blister-like rashes, fever and fatigue. Since chickenpox vaccines were introduced in 1995, cases in the U.S. have declined by over 97%.
Varicella
WHAT IS...
Being cautious about your child's health is understandable. Protecting them is every parent's top priority, and confusing, conflicting or false information about vaccines is more common than ever. Based on a recent survey, the majority of parents in South Dakota trust vaccines to protect their kids from life-threatening diseases.
In the 2021–2022 school year...
• 93% of kindergarten children had up-to-date vaccinations
• 91% of 6th graders has up-to-date vaccinations
• 98% of children had received at least one vaccine
• 85% of parents followed the routine vaccination schedule for their child