Prayer Before a Vaccination

Image: Adhesive bandage applied after a vaccination (ravipat/Shutterstock, all rights reserved.)

Ribbono shel olam, Ruler of all that is, I reach out to You before I take my child* to receive a vaccination. You are the author of all creation, from the largest beast to the tiniest virus. You have invested human beings with the intellect and skill to devise ways to defeat the diseases that plagued us in former days, and to seek out preventions and cures for those diseases that still trouble us. You have commanded us to care for our bodies and those of our children, and so I bring this child for a vaccination.

Protect this little one from fear and pain. Help me to convey confidence and calm to my child. Give skill and kindness to the person administering the medicine, and make it effective for the purpose intended.

Protect us from all harm, dear God! Protect us from viruses and bacteria,
and from the evils of ignorance, fear, and bad counsel. Draw us under the comforting wings of Your Presence, and at the end of this procedure, we will give thanks for all that we have received. Grant us health and peace of mind, not only to us, but to all who worry about health and how to find it.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, who created all things great and small, and who has invested human beings with skill and intelligence to preserve health in this world. Amen.

*This prayer can also be said by an adult going for a vaccination. Substitute “myself” for “my child,” etc.