Time for back-to-school shots: TRICARE has you covered Published Aug. 14, 2009 By Diane Mayer TriWest Healthcare Alliance VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Are your children up-to-date on their immunizations? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that most children be vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, human papilloma virus, measles, mumps and rubella. All of these diseases can cause serious health problems if a child's shots aren't up-to-date. TRICARE covers all age and gender-appropriate doses of vaccines as recommended by the CDC. Beneficiaries can view the CDC's guidelines at www.cdc.gov/vaccines or visit www.triwest.com/healthyliving for additional information. Researchers have found that HPV is the number one cause of cervical cancer. Physicians can give the HPV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. The CDC recommends the vaccine be administered to females ages 11 through 26, although girls as young as 9 may receive it. Parents who schedule their child's immunizations early will have one less thing on their back-to-school "to do" list. Tips to take the sting out of shots: - TRICARE covers all age-appropriate CDC-recommended vaccines. - Tell younger kids that it's OK to cry. - Try to be calm yourself. - Offer praise after the injection is over. - Plan something fun to do afterward.