[6] The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends universal vaccination in areas where the disease is moderately common.

[2] Where the disease is very common, widespread vaccination is not recommended as all people typically develop immunity through infection during childhood.

[2] Soreness or redness where the shot is given, fever, headache, tiredness, or loss of appetite can happen after receiving the hepatitis A vaccine.

As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.

In the US as of 2007[update], the vaccine is strongly recommended for all children 12 to 23 months of age in an attempt to eradicate the virus nationwide.

Although the original Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license for Havrix by GlaxoSmithKline is dated 1995,[12] it had been approved in Europe in 1991.