Vaccinations & Immunizations in West Hartford, CT

The board-certified physicians at DOCS Urgent Care of West Hartford are ready to serve the community with vaccinations and immunizations. Our team promises quality care for an affordable price. DOCS accepts most major insurances.

QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CARE

DOCS URGENT CARE – West Hartford

ADDRESS
983 New Britain Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06110

PHONE
(203)-874-3682

FAX
(860)-272-8661

HOURS
WEEKDAYS: 8AM-8PM
WEEKENDS: 10AM-2PM

ROUTINE VACCINATIONS in West Hartford, CT

A list of routine vaccines is recommended to be administered to everyone in the United States. Many of these vaccines are given during childhood, but some are suitable for adults and even require re-administration
Common Routine Adult Vaccines Include:
  • Hepatitis A (HEP A)
  • Hepatitis B (HEP B)
  • TD (Tetanus-Diphtheria)
  • TDAP (Whooping Cough)
  • Flu (Influenza)
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
  • Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
  • Pneumonia (Pneumococcal)
  • Meningitis (Meningococcal)
All Available Vaccinations:
  • Hepatitis A (Adult)
  • Hepatitis A (Pediatric)
  • Hepatitis B (Adult)
  • Hepatitis B (Pediatric)
  • Japanese Encephalitis
  • MMR
  • Menactra
  • Zostavax (Shingles)
  • Polio (IPV)
  • Pneumococcal
  • PPD
  • Rabies Vaccination
  • Tetanus Diphtheria (TD)
  • Tetanus Diphtheria Pertussis (TDAP)
  • Typhoid
  • Twinrix (Hep A & B Combination)
  • Typhoid
  • Varicella
  • yellow Fever
  • Gardasil
  • B-12
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Kenalog-10
  • Phenergan
  • Solu-Medrol
  • Toradol
  • Benadryl

Adolescent Vaccinations

Adolescents require certain immunizations and booster shots for protection against certain diseases. The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians encourage a detailed immunization schedule for all children and adolescents every year. The schedule is complete with immunizations and booster shots that are necessary for adolescents and children. 

  • TD (Tetanus-Diphtheria)
  • Meningitis (Meningococcal)
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
  • TDAP (Whooping Cough)
  • FLU (Influenza)
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Pneumonia (Pneumococcal)
  • Hepatitis A (HEP A)
  • Hepatitis B (HEP B)
All Available Vaccinations:

Elderly Vaccinations

Older adults (65+) are at an increased risk for many diseases, but many are preventable through vaccination. These preventable illnesses are a significant cause of mortality in the 65+ population. Adults who are aged 65 or older should take a preventative stance for their health by receiving vaccinations such as:

  • Flu (Influenza)
  • Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
  • Pneumonia (Pneumococcal)
  • TD (Tetanus-Diphtheria)
  • TDAP (Whooping Cough)
  • Hepatitis A (HEP A)
  • Hepatitis B (HEP B)
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)

Travel Vaccinations

When traveling abroad, it is important to research and educate yourself on the diseases that are prevalent in the area you are visiting. The U.S has vaccines for many if not most foreign illnesses that our citizens are not immune to, all of which can be administered in our West Hartford clinic. 

Unsure of the vaccinations required for your abroad trip? Check the CDC Travel Health Website to find details and all important information about staying healthy while traveling. Call DOCS Urgent Care of West Hartford to schedule your appointment once you know which vaccines your trip requires.

 
  • Yellow Fever
  • Meningitis (Meningococcal)
  • Japanese Encephalitis
  • Typhoid
  • Rabies
  • Polio
  • Hepatitis A  (HEP A)
  • Hepatitis B (HEP B)
  • Hepatitis A/ Hepatitis B Combination

What to Know About Vaccinations & Immunizations

How Vaccinations Work

Disease germs reproduce once they enter your healthy body. Your immune system’s job is to recognize germs as foreign invaders in your body and respond by making protein antibodies to combat them. The antibodies help fight off and destroy the germs that are making you feel sick. While these antibodies can’t prevent you from becoming sick in the first place, they will aid in your betterment by ridding your body of the germs.

Once they help you get better from your sickness, the antibodies then protect you against future infections from that virus. They stay in your bloodstream and are ready to attack if that same germ enters your body again. Once the antibodies are experienced at killing off the specific germ from the first time, they will kill them off in future cases as well before they make you feel sick. This is called immunity. It explains why most people will only get diseases such as measles or chicken pox only once in their life, even though they are likely exposed to the germs multiple times in their lifetime.

Vaccines help expedite the process of creating immunity. They will help your body produce antibodies without having to get sick in the first place. Vaccines are made from parts of germs that cause the disease they prevent – for example, the polio vaccine is made from parts of the polio virus. The vaccine also won’t make you sick because the parts of it that would make you sick are killed or weakened in the process of making the vaccine.

When the vaccines containing the killed germs are introduced to your immune system, your immune system reacts to the vaccine in the same way that it would if it had come in contact with the real disease. Its reaction is the same – to make antibodies. The antibodies will kill the vaccine germs as if they were real germs and then stay in your body, to give you immunity from the real germ cells and protect you in the future. Then, if you are ever exposed to the real disease germs, the antibodies will be there to protect you before you start feeling sick.

Why Are Vaccinations Important?

Children who are not vaccinated properly can spread diseases to other children, even those who have been vaccinated.

In the US, vaccinations have been able to decrease the most vaccine-preventable childhood diseases by more than 95%. Check immunize.org for more details and examples. Vaccines are responsible for the elimination of certain diseases that were at one point deadly to large populations of people, such as measles, smallpox, and polio. Because the bacteria and viruses that cause harmful diseases still exist, the public health benefits from individuals who are vaccinated in order to maintain and reduce the likelihood of being affected by these illnesses.

Vaccines are helpful because they protect individuals who elect to protect themselves and also because they ensure a wider protection for communities by establishing a “community immunity.” When the majority of a population is vaccinated against serious diseases, the entire population is largely benefited by the larger protection.

Do Adults Need VAccinations?

Many adults are not properly up-to-date on vaccinations even though they are as important for adults as they are for children. Adults also require vaccines because vaccine immunity may deplete over time and therefore require a booster shot to enhance immunity. Some diseases, such as whooping cough, may be prevented from spreading to children with the vaccination of adults. Some vaccines, such as the shingles vaccine, will specifically protect against diseases and conditions that occur in adulthood.

The Care When You Need It in West Hartford

DOCS Urgent Care of West Hartford is part of the wider DOCS Urgent Care network. DOCS network is a professional network of many Urgent Care clinics that are all run by board-certified physicians and health care providers. The goal at DOCS is to give each patient high quality care at an affordable price.

Notice

During this surge in COVID-19 cases, our primary focus is meeting the high demand for tests, and we are seeing higher than usual wait times. This means we are unable to answer most phone calls. Please know that our teams are working very hard during this time to care for as many patients as safely as possible. Please click the button below for answers to common questions. We appreciate your understanding.