Immunizations & Vaccinations

Immunizations are the preventive vaccines that protect you from serious infections — influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, shingles, pertussis, HPV, and more. They are, hands down, the single most cost-effective preventive service in modern medicine.

At Good Health NC in Knightdale, immunizations happen two ways. Most are given during your regular physical exam or preventive care visit, so we can review your full vaccine history and update everything that's due in one stop. The other path is a walk-in or same-day flu/COVID/Tdap visit when you need a single shot fast. The CDC's adult immunization schedule is the standard we follow, and we'll tell you exactly what's recommended for your age, your medical conditions, and your risk profile.

Our standard adult and adolescent vaccine inventory includes:

• Influenza (flu) — annual, late summer through spring
• COVID-19 — updated formulations as recommended by the CDC
• Tdap and Td — tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis boosters every 10 years (or sooner with certain injuries)
• Shingles (Shingrix) — two-dose series recommended for adults 50 and older
• Pneumococcal (Prevnar 20, Pneumovax) — for adults 65+ and younger adults with specific risk factors
• RSV — for adults 60+ per current guidance and during pregnancy when indicated
• HPV — typically through age 26, with shared decision-making up to age 45
• Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B — for adults who weren't fully vaccinated in childhood or who have specific risk factors
• MMR, Varicella — for adults without documented immunity
• Meningococcal — for adolescents, college students, and adults with specific risk factors
• Travel vaccines — typhoid, yellow fever (where licensed), and others depending on destination and timing

For seasonal vaccines, walk-in flu and COVID shots are typically available during normal clinic hours once supply arrives each fall.

Vaccine visits at Good Health NC are intentionally efficient:

1. Quick check-in and vaccine record review — bring your prior immunization records if you have them, or sign a release and we'll pull them from the North Carolina Immunization Registry
2. Brief screening — current medications, allergies, recent illnesses, pregnancy status when relevant
3. Vaccine administration — by a trained clinical team member, usually in under five minutes
4. 15-minute observation — for first-time vaccines or anyone with an allergy history
5. Updated record — every dose is logged in our system and reported to the state registry, so your record is permanent and portable

For walk-in flu or COVID shots during peak season, plan on about 20 to 30 minutes total.

Some general timing guidance:

• Flu shot — late August through October is ideal, before community transmission ramps up
• COVID booster — typically once per year, often paired with the flu shot in the fall
• Tdap — every 10 years, sooner with a dirty wound or pregnancy
• Shingrix (shingles) — start the two-dose series at age 50 if you haven't already
• Pneumococcal — at age 65, or sooner if you have chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD, or chronic kidney disease
• Travel vaccines — 4 to 6 weeks before international travel for full protection

If you have a chronic condition we already manage in primary care — diabetes, hypertension, asthma — your vaccine schedule may be more aggressive, since some infections hit chronic-disease patients harder.

We treat immunizations the same way we treat the rest of primary care — evidence-based, individualized, and efficient. That means:

• A complete review of your record — not just the shot you came in for, but everything that's due, so nothing falls behind
• Honest, plain conversation — about benefits, possible side effects, and the evidence behind each recommendation
• State registry reporting — every vaccine we give is logged in the North Carolina Immunization Registry, so your record stays accurate and accessible
• Walk-in availability for flu, COVID, and Tdap during clinic hours
• Integration with the rest of your care — vaccines are a natural part of your annual physical and ongoing chronic-care visits
• A 22-year primary care provider overseeing the program — our experienced PA-C clinical lead

Need something specific — a Tdap for a new job, a shingles series, a flu shot before a trip? Walk in or schedule, whichever fits your day.