Childhood Vaccinations

Vaccination are important and protect against illnesses that may have adverse effects on people. One of the best ways to protect your child is to make sure they have all of their vaccinations at the time they are recommended to ensure the mostly timely protection.

To find out what vaccinations your child needs, and when they need to have them, please click on the following website Complete routine immunisation schedule.

Childhood vaccines

6-in-1 vaccine

The 6-in-1 vaccine is given to babies when they're 8, 12 and 16 weeks old and protects against 6 serious illnesses:

·        Diphtheria

·        Hepatitis B

·        Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)

·        Polio

·        Tetanus

·        Whooping cough

If your child has missed their 6-in-1 vaccinations, contact their GP surgery. It's best to have the vaccinations on time, but your child can still have the 6-in-1 vaccine up to the age of 10.

For more information: 6-in-1 vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Rotavirus vaccine

The rotavirus vaccine helps protect against rotavirus, a common cause of diarrhoea and vomiting. It's given to babies when they're 8 and 12 weeks old.

Rotavirus is an infection that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It's very common, especially in babies and young children.

Most children with rotavirus will get better in a few days, but some children can become very dehydrated and need treatment in hospital. Very rarely, rotavirus can be life-threatening.

Rotavirus spreads very easily. Vaccination is recommended for babies to help stop them getting infected.

For more information: Rotavirus vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

MenB vaccine

The MenB vaccine helps protect against meningococcal group B bacteria that can cause serious illnesses, including meningitis and sepsis. It's given to children when they're 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year old.

It's best to have the MenB vaccines on time so children are protected when they're most at risk of getting MenB illnesses. But if your child has missed any of their MenB vaccines, contact their GP surgery. They can still have the MenB vaccine up to the age of 2.

For more information: MenB vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Pneumococcal vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis as well as other illnesses such as sinusitis and ear infections. It's recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over.

Its given to children at 12 weeks and a booster dose at 1 year.

For more information: Pneumococcal vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Hib/MenC vaccine

The Hib/MenC vaccine is given to babies when they're 1 year old to protect them against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and meningitis C. These infections can be serious and life-threatening.

The Hib/MenC vaccine is given to 1 year old babies after they've had 3 doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine, which also protects against Hib. It's best to have the Hib/MenC vaccine on time, but your child can still have it up to the age of 10 if they've had all 3 doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine. If your child has missed their Hib/MenC vaccine, contact their GP surgery.

For more information: Hib/MenC vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

MMR vaccine

The MMR vaccine gives long-term protection against measles, mumps and rubella. These 3 infections spread easily between people and can lead to serious problems including meningitis, blindness and hearing loss.

If you're pregnant, getting measles can cause premature birth, miscarriage or still birth. And getting rubella can cause serious problems for your baby such as damage to their sight and hearing. Getting vaccinated also helps protect people who cannot be vaccinated, such as unborn babies, newborn babies and anyone with a weakened immune system.

2 doses of the MMR vaccine gives you long-term protection.

wThe MMR vaccine is recommended for all babies and young children, but older children and adults can have it if they were not vaccinated when they were younger. The MMR vaccine can be given at any age.

Babies and young children are given 2 doses of the MMR vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination schedule. They're given a dose at:

·        1 year old

·        3 years 4 months old

Babies between 6 and 12 months can have an extra dose of the MMR vaccine before this if they need it to protect them if:

·        they're travelling abroad to an area with a lot of measles

·        they've been close to someone with measles

·        there's an outbreak of measles

For more information: MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Childrens flu vaccine

The children's flu vaccine helps protect against flu. It's offered to children aged 2 to 3 years, school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) and children with certain long-term health conditions.

The children's flu vaccine is offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter.

It's recommended for:

·        Children aged 2 or 3 years

·        School-aged children (Reception to Year 11)

·        Children aged 6 months to 17 years with certain long-term health conditions

4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine

The 4-in-1 pre-school booster is given to children aged 3 years, 4 months old before they start school.

The 4-in-1 pre-school booster helps protect children against 4 serious illnesses:

·        Diphtheria

·        Polio

·        Tetanus

·        Whooping cough

It boosts the protection provided by the 6-in-1 vaccine.

The 4-in-1 pre-school booster is recommended for children aged 3 years, 4 months old before they start school. If your child has missed their 4-in-1 pre-school booster, contact their GP surgery. It's best to have it on time, but they can still have the 4-in-1 vaccine up to the age of 10.

For more information: 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

HPV vaccine

The HPV vaccine helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). It's recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and people at higher risk from HPV.

Most types of HPV are harmless. But some types are linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including:

·        Cervical cancer

·        Mouth cancer

·        Anal cancer

·        Penile cancer

·        Vulval cancer

·        Vaginal cancer

·        HPV can also cause genital warts.

For more information: HPV vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Ts/IPV vaccine (3-in-1 teenage booster)

The Td/IPV vaccine (also called the 3-in-1 teenage booster) helps protect against tetanus, diphtheria and polio. It's recommended for children in school year 9 (13-14 years of age) and people at higher risk of these illnesses. It boosts the protection provided by the 6-in-1 vaccine and 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine.

If you or your child missed getting vaccinated, speak to your school nurse, or your GP surgery if you've left school, about getting vaccinated.

For more information: Td/IPV vaccine (3-in-1 teenage booster) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

MenACWY vaccine

The MenACWY vaccine helps protect against meningitis, sepsis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) which are very serious, potentially life-threatening illnesses that can lead to life-changing disabilities, such as amputations, hearing loss and brain damage.

It's offered to teenagers in school but can be given up to the age of 25 if it's been missed.

Anyone can get meningitis but it's most common in babies, children, teenagers and young adults. Babies are given the MenB vaccine to help protect against a common type of bacteria that causes meningitis.

The MenACWY vaccine is given to teenagers and helps protect against 4 other types of bacteria linked to meningitis.

Although the vaccine is very effective, it does not prevent all types of meningitis, so it's still important to be aware of the symptoms of meningitis even if you've been vaccinated.

For more information: MenACWY vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

For more information regarding vaccinations: Vaccinations - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

These are three infectious diseases that are prevented by the MMR vaccine.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children in Hertfordshire and West Essex continue to be at risk catching infections that can be prevented by vaccination. Vaccines are safe, effective and offered free on the NHS. Measles in particular is on the rise  across the UK and Europe. This has resulted in severe illness and even deaths in a number of adults and children. It is highly infectious and is spread by water droplets, coughed or sneezed by infected individuals. The only protection for this is having both doses of the MMR vaccine.

The MMR vaccine is given to babies and young children as part of the NHS vaccination schedule.

It's important to catch up on any missed vaccines.

You can still ask your GP surgery for the MMR vaccine if your child has missed either of these 2 doses.

95% of the population need to be vaccinated in order to keep everyone protected

For the latest information on current vaccination related topics please click on the following link UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

All children between 2 and 11 years (year 6) of age should receive the children's flu vaccine. This is not only to stop them getting unwell with flu, but also to stop them spreading flu to other members of your family.

There are other groups of children with long-term health conditions that should have the flu vaccine every year. This includes children with weakened immune systems (including those on steroids or with problems with their spleen), chronic heart or lung problems, diabetes, asthma, chronic kidney or liver disease. It is especially important that these children are vaccinated because they have the greatest risk of becoming very unwell if they get flu. Children aged from 6 months to 2 years who are at risk from complications of flu should be given the inactivated (injected) flu vaccine rather than the intranasal vaccine.

Common myths about flu and the flu vaccine

'Flu isn't serious, so my child doesn't need a flu vaccine' and 'My children never get ill, so they don't need the vaccine'

  • It is tempting to think that flu is no worse than a bad cold, but in fact it is a serious disease which can infect anyone and can cause serious complications. For people at risk of complications e.g. grandparents or other vulnerable household members, flu can lead to hospitalisation or even death. Flu leads to hundreds of thousands of GP visits and tens of thousands of hospital stays a year.

'Last year my children had the flu vaccine but they got ill anyway, so it doesn't work'

  • No vaccine is 100% effective, including the flu vaccine. However, the vaccine usually prevents about half of all flu cases. For people who get flu after being vaccinated, the disease is often less severe than it would have been. It is important to remember that the flu vaccine only protects against flu, but there are other illnesses which have flu-like symptoms which you can still catch after getting the flu vaccine. It takes up to two weeks for the vaccine to take effect, so you could still catch flu if you are exposed to the virus during this time. Getting vaccinated as early as possible in the season can help to prevent this.

Use this video to explain to your child why they are having the flu vaccine

Click here for more information about common questions, concerns and comments that people have about vaccines

 

 

Travel vaccinations

If you're planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world. If possible, see your GP or a private travel clinic at least 6 to 8 weeks before you're due to travel. Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity. And some vaccines involve a number of doses spread over several weeks or months.

Information on available travel vaccines can be found:

Some countries require proof of vaccination (for example, for polio or yellow fever vaccination), which must be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before you enter or when you leave a country.

Saudi Arabia requires proof of vaccination against certain types of meningitis for visitors arriving for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.

Even if an ICVP is not required, it's still a good idea to take a record of the vaccinations you have had with you.

For information about travel advice including vaccines recommendations, malaria and outbreaks, please see:

·        NaTHNaC - Home (travelhealthpro.org.uk)

·        Destinations - Fit for Travel

 

Travel Vaccinations: What Parents Need to Know

Planning a Trip?

If you're planning a trip outside the UK, it's important to check if you and your family need any vaccinations to protect against serious diseases found in other parts of the world. Here's a simple guide to help you navigate travel vaccinations.

When to See Your GP

Try to visit your GP or a private travel clinic at least 6 to 8 weeks before your travel date. Some vaccines need time to work, and others may require multiple doses over several weeks or months.

Where to Find Vaccine Information

You can find detailed information on available travel vaccines here: Available travel vaccines - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Proof of Vaccination

Certain countries may require proof of vaccination, documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). For example:

·        Polio

·        Yellow Fever

Special Requirements:

Saudi Arabia: Visitors for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages must show proof of vaccination against specific types of meningitis.

Keep a Record

Even if an ICVP is not needed, it's a good idea to carry a record of all the vaccinations you and your family have received.

Additional Resources

For more detailed travel advice, including vaccine recommendations, malaria prevention, and outbreak information, visit:

·        NaTHNaC - Home (travelhealthpro.org.uk)

·        Destinations - Fit for Travel

Stay safe and enjoy your travels!

It’s normal to have questions about any medication that you’re giving to your child and vaccines are no exception. The most common questions that parents ask are:

What vaccinations does my child need?

You can find out what vaccinations your child needs, and when they need to have them by clicking on the following website Complete routine immunisation schedule - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  

Why should I have my child vaccinated?

Won’t herd immunity protect them? Herd immunity does not protect against all diseases. The best example of this is tetanus, which is caught from bacteria in the environment, not from other people who have the disease. In addition, for herd immunity to work properly, most people in the population need to be vaccinated. There are low vaccination rates in some parts of the UK and in some communities, as well as in many overseas countries. This means that if your child is not vaccinated, it is quite likely that many of the people they come into contact with will not be vaccinated either. So if one person gets an infectious disease, it can spread quickly through all the unvaccinated people in the group (this happened during the 2013 measles outbreak in Wales).

Won’t having several vaccines at the same time overload my baby’s immune system?

Parents often worry that a child’s immune system will not be able to cope with several vaccines at once. In fact, even a tiny baby’s immune system can cope easily. Starting from birth, babies come into contact with millions of germs every day. It is estimated that the human body contains enough white blood cells to cope with thousands of vaccines at any one time. If a child was given 11 vaccines at once, it would only use about a thousandth of the immune system. It is not a good idea to delay vaccinations to ‘spread the load’, because it leaves the child unprotected against serious diseases for longer.

How do I know that vaccines are safe?

All vaccines go through a long and thorough process of development and testing before they are licensed for use. Vaccines have to be tested on adults and children separately before they can be used for different age groups; this is because vaccines that work in adults may not work so well in children. No vaccines are tested on children before they have been fully tested on adults. Click here for more information about vaccine safety and side effects.

Click here for more information about common questions, concerns and comments that people have about vaccines

The importance of getting your child Vaccinated

  • Immunisations can save your child’s life: Many of the diseases that are vaccinated against can be very serious. If a child isn’t vaccinated against certain illnesses these can spread easily and become life threatening.
  • Vaccinations are very safe and effective: All vaccines go through a long and thorough process of development and testing before they are licensed for use. Vaccines have to be tested on adults and children separately before they can be used for different age groups; this is because vaccines that work in adults may not work so well in children. No vaccines are tested on children before they have been fully tested on adults. Click here for more information about vaccine safety and side effects.
  • Immunisation protects others you care about: Vacination can help to stop the spread of infectious disease from person to person, protecting those who you care about from serious illness. 

There are often myths about vaccines visit the NHS website for information on why vaccines are safe and effective (link) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/why-vaccination-is-safe-and-important/