Child Immunisations

Childhood Immunisations

If a vaccine is given when a baby still has antibodies to the disease, the antibodies can stop the vaccine working. This is why routine childhood immunisations do not start until a baby is two months old, before the antibodies a baby gets from its mother have stopped working. This is also why it is important for parents to stick to the immunisation schedule, as a delay can leave a baby unprotected. A delay can increase the chance of adverse reactions to some vaccines, such as pertussis (whooping cough).

image representing child immunisations

Vaccination Schedule

Vaccines for babies under 1 year old
Age	Vaccines
8 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (1st dose) Rotavirus vaccine (1st dose) MenB vaccine (1st dose)
12 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) MenB vaccine (2nd dose) Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose)
16 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) Pneumococcal vaccineeeee (1st dose)

Vaccines for children aged 1 to 4 years
Age	Vaccines
1 year	MMRV vaccine (1st dose for children born on or after 1 January 2025) Pneumococcal vaccine (2nd dose) MenB vaccine (3rd dose)
1 year and 6 months (18 months)	6-in-1 vaccine (4th dose for children born on or after 1 July 2024) MMRV vaccine (1st or 2nd dose for children born on or after 1 July 2024)
2 years	Children's flu vaccine (every year until children finish Year 11 of secondary school)
3 years and 4 months	4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine MMRV vaccine (1st or 2nd dose for children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 December 2024)