Not yet. There is no Lyme disease vaccine currently available in the United States, though a candidate from Pfizer and Valneva has shown promising Phase 3 trial results and may seek regulatory approval in 2026.
Being worried about Lyme disease is reasonable. It’s a greater risk in Massachusetts than in most other states in the country. If you love spending time outdoors, it’s reasonable to hope for a vaccine that will take that risk off the table.
The only Lyme disease vaccine ever available in the U.S. was LYMERix, which was approved in 1998 and pulled from the market by its manufacturer in 2002 due to low consumer demand and controversy over possible side effects. Since then, no replacement has been available.
That might change, though. Pfizer and Valneva have been developing a vaccine called LB6V that targets the outer surface protein of the Borrelia bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. As of March 2026, they announced Phase 3 trial results showing the vaccine was 70% effective at preventing Lyme disease in those five and older. The companies have also indicated they plan to submit the vaccine for FDA review, though no approval timeline has been confirmed.
Even if LB6V is approved, it would require multiple doses over time and would not eliminate the need for tick precautions. A 70% efficacy rate helps a lot, but much like with the annual flu shot, it wouldn’t eliminate your risk of getting the flu.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to avoid Lyme disease, your best bet is to do daily tick checks after spending time outdoors. Ticks have to be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit the disease. It’s also wise to wear long sleeves and pants in high-risk areas and to use repellents with DEET or permethrin. Keeping your yard less hospitable to ticks matters too. Our video on the 6 C's of tick control covers the most important property-level steps.
If you’re a Worcester homeowner and you want active protection while waiting for a vaccine to reach the market, Mosquito Squad of Worcester's tick control program can help. With barrier treatments applied to the shaded, high-risk areas of your yard where ticks wait for hosts, you can cut down on ticks on a population level, as much as 90%. As part of the process, a trained technician will find the zones that matter most on your property and treat them directly. And they’ll come back every 21 days to make sure coverage never lapses.
