Immunizations (also known as vaccines) work with the body's natural defenses to help it safely develop immunity to a disease.
Childhood vaccines offer life-saving protection from many very serious diseases.
Learn more about Diseases Prevented by Vaccines.
Protect our community through vaccination
Immunization not only protects a person from serious diseases; it also protects the health of the community.
Preventing disease through vaccination protects people who are too young to be vaccinated, and in rare instances, people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, or people who do not respond to vaccines.
Immunization can also help stop or slow the spread of disease outbreaks, though outbreaks of many diseases have disappeared due to immunization.
Immunization recommendations
It is important for people of all ages to receive recommended vaccines. Since diseases prevented by vaccine are often more serious in young children, most vaccines are given first two years of life.
Medical associations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) publish evidence-based immunization schedules of recommended vaccines based on medical and public health data.
Visit Immunization: Me and My Family for more information about recommended vaccines for children, adolescents and adults.
Immunization school requirements
The Minnesota school immunization law requires all students enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 12 show they have received certain immunizations or that they have an exemption. Schools are required to report immunization data to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) each year through the Annual Immunization Status Report (AISR).
Not all recommended vaccines are included in Minnesota’s immunization school law as these requirements focus on highly infectious diseases that are more easily transmitted in a setting like school where children gather. Refer to Vaccines for Infants, Children, and Adolescents for more information about school immunization requirements.
Immunization resources:
Immunization: Minnesota's leading public health resource for immunization and vaccine-preventable disease information. Providing education and training on vaccinations for the public and health care providers.
Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC): A confidential immunization information system operated by the MDH immunization program. It electronically stores immunization records for Minnesota residents, and offers tools to support immunization practice, monitoring, and improvement.
Last updated January 2026
The Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) is a useful resource for monitoring immunization coverage rates in the state.
This confidential, computerized system collects immunization records for Minnesota residents to help ensure correct and timely vaccinations.
Systematic, MIIC-based monitoring of childhood immunization began in 2010. Updated data are available annually in the summer.
The percentage of children who have received recommended vaccinations is called the "coverage rate."
Childhood immunization coverage rates for the state and each county are calculated based on the number of children in MIIC who have received the vaccinations of interest by 24 months of age compared to the number of children in MIIC.
In order to protect the population from vaccine-preventable disease, Healthy People 2030 Vaccination goals call for 90% coverage among young children for some individual immunizations.
Percent of Minnesota children immunized with the childhood series
Most recently, about 63% Minnesota children 24-35 months of age received all vaccinations in the childhood immunization series. The Healthy People 2030 goal is a 90% coverage rate for some individual childhood vaccinations. Since vaccine-preventable diseases are often more serious in young children, increasing these rates in Minnesota is important.
"Series" includes all seven vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP); polio; measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B (Hep B); varicella (chickenpox); and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of Minnesota children with additional recommended immunizations
Most recently, about 70% Minnesota children 24-35 months of age received rotavirus vaccine and about 38% were immunized with hepatitis A vaccine. These vaccines are recommended but not included in the childhood immunization "series."
Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age. Rotavirus and hepatitis A are not currently part of the childhood immunization series.
Complete immunization series (County)
Complete immunization series (Zip code)
DTaP percent vaccinated (County)
DTaP percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Hepatitis A percent vaccinated (County)
Hepatitis A percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Hepatitis B percent vaccinated (County)
Hepatitis B percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Hib percent vaccinated (County)
Hib percent vaccinated (Zip code)
MMR percent vaccinated (County)
MMR percent vaccinated (Zip code)
PCV percent vaccinated (County)
PCV percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Polio percent vaccinated (County)
Polio percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Rotavirus percent vaccinated (County)
Rotavirus percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Varicella percent vaccinated (County)
Varicella percent vaccinated (Zip code)
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for complete childhood immunization series, 2024
Data for 2024. "Series" includes all seven vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP); polio; measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B (Hep B); varicella (chickenpox); and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for complete childhood immunization series, 2024
Data for 2024. "Series" includes all seven vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP); polio; measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B (Hep B); varicella (chickenpox); and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for hepatitis A, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for hepatitis A, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for hepatitis B, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for hepatitis B, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for pneumococcal disease (PCV), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for pneumococcal disease (PCV), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for polio, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for polio, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for rotavirus, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for rotavirus, 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for varicella (chickenpox), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Percent of two-year-old children vaccinated for varicella (chickenpox), 2024
Data for 2024. Source: Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) rates for children 24-35 months of age.
Data are based on vaccination records in the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), a confidential immunization information system. Immunization records in MIIC are submitted by participating health care providers.
For each year of data, MIIC analyzes children that are 24-35 months of age as of July of that year and were up-to-date on their immunizations at 24 months.
For example (2023 Data): Vaccination coverage among children 24-35 months of age in MIIC. Includes children born July 2020 through June 2021 who were up-to-date at 24 months. Analyzed as of July 2023.
Note: In 2015, there was a change in methodology for calculating up-to-date rates. Previously, the denominator only included children 24-35 months of age with two or more non-influenza vaccinations on their MIIC record. The numerator included all children in this group who were up-to-date at time of analysis. Beginning in 2015, the denominator includes all children 24-35 months of age in MIIC, and the numerator only includes children in this group who were up-to-date at 24 months.
Kindergarten immunizations
Schools are required to report the immunization or exemption status of their students to MDH each year through the Annual Immunization Status Report (AISR).
School health staff use several different sources for student vaccination data, such as health care provider vaccination records, the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), parent supplied vaccination records, and vaccination records from other schools a child has attended.
Adolescent immunizations
Data are based on vaccination records in the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), a confidential immunization information system. Immunization records in MIIC are submitted by participating health care providers.
For each year of data, MIIC analyzes adolescents 13 and 19 years of age as of July of that year and were up-to-date on their immunizations at age 13 years or age 19 years.
For example (2023 data): Vaccination coverage among adolescents 13 and 19 years of age in MIIC. Includes adolescents born July 2009 through June 2010 who were up to date at age 13 years and adolescents born July 2003 through June 2004 who were up to date at age 19 years. Data analyzed as of July 2023.
Data Questions
Childhood and adolescent immunizations The childhood and adolescent immunization data can be used to monitor state- and county-level immunization coverage and progress towards national, state, and local coverage goals. The data can also help to identify populations at risk for vaccine-preventable disease and encourage public health actions and policies aimed at increasing immunization.
Kindergarten immunizations
To identify communities with low immunization rates, which can help when working with local partners to provide reliable information about vaccines, determine any barriers preventing vaccination, and evaluate efforts to increase immunization rates.
To target outreach and public health messages in communities with lower vaccination rates to increase protection.
To identify schools and school districts that are at higher risk for a vaccine preventable disease outbreak.
To identify schools that need technical assistance related to the immunization requirements.
The immunization data and measures cannot tell us why children are not up-to-date. Some children may not have ready access to all the recommended vaccines, and some parents may choose not to vaccinate. Also, some children may have received vaccinations that are not recorded in MIIC.
Childhood and adolescent immunizations (MIIC) Although MIIC is a useful resource for real-time assessments of state and county immunization percentages in Minnesota, MIIC data may underestimate the actual percent of children receiving vaccines due to several limitations:
Health care provider participation in MIIC is voluntary. Although approximately 90 percent of Minnesota health care providers routinely submit immunization data to MIIC, not all those who participate report every dose of vaccine administered, nor historical immunizations reported by the patient.
The data in MIIC may include children who have moved elsewhere, artificially inflating the denominator. When a child moves out of Minnesota, their MIIC record may not be updated to reflect their move, so the child may be mistakenly counted as a resident who is not up-to-date on their vaccinations.
Cross border-state immunization data exchange is limited to Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa. Vaccines received in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa by Minnesota residents are in MIIC, but there is no similar data exchange with South Dakota at this time.
There was a nationwide shortage of Hib vaccine from December 2007 to September 2009. This shortage reduced immunization coverage percentages for Hib and the childhood series in the 2010 MIIC data.
Kindergarten immunizations (AISR)
The data reported to MDH does not indicate vaccination status of individual students. Only aggregate grade-level data is reported to MDH.
The data are combined for three school years, and they may not reflect current immunization coverage levels in schools and communities. Students who were not up-to-date when initially enrolling in school may have since been vaccinated.
Student vaccination records are collected by school staff. School staff summarize the student-level data and report grade-level data to MDH during the fall of each school year. MDH does not have the ability to verify the accuracy of the data that is being submitted by schools.
Students with exemptions may be partially vaccinated; however, because MDH does not collect individual student level data, we are unable to verify the immunization status of students with exemptions.
Childhood series vaccines recommended* by 24 months
4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
3 doses of polio vaccine
1 dose of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
2-4** doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine
3 doses of Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine
1*** dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
2-4** doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccine
**Adolescents younger than age 15 years are recommended to receive 2 doses of vaccine. Immunocompromised adolescents at any age are recommended to receive 3 doses.
***Men B vaccine is recommended for adolescents aged 16 – 23 years. The preferred age range to receive this vaccine is 16 – 18 years. The number of doses depends on the vaccine product and special health and situation considerations.
