Childhood vaccinations
What we know
Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, her body's immune system is not as strong. This means she and her baby can get ill more easily. To help keep them safe, pregnant women are offered vaccines. The protection that they get from vaccines passes to their baby, protecting them in their first few months of life. Protecting mother and baby from illnesses lowers the chance of early birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth. Getting vaccinated in pregnancy gives your baby the best start in life.
The whooping cough vaccine protects mother and baby from whooping cough and is offered at around 20 weeks of pregnancy. In 2024 nearly 900 babies under 1 year old had whooping cough, with many needing to go to hospital.
The RSV vaccine has been offered since 2024. It is offered from 28 weeks of pregnancy and it helps protect mother and baby from a virus called RSV. Babies who are not protected can get RSV more easily. RSV can cause serious lung infections and some babies may need to go to hospital. The UKHSA have said that the RSV vaccine has been shown to lower the number of hospitalisations for serious lung infections in babies.
Pregnant women are also offered the flu vaccine in autumn and winter. They can have it at any time in pregnancy. It is best to get it early in the flu vaccination season, before flu rates are high. Pregnant women who get flu infections are four times more likely to have their baby early and with a low birth weight. Their babies also have a higher chance of being stillborn.
Babies
Vaccines teach a baby's body how to fight illness. They help keep babies safe as they grow. Babies have three vaccine appointments with their GP before their first birthday. During these appointments they will be offered more than one vaccine at a time. All these vaccines either protect against a new illness or boosts their protection. Most of these vaccines are given by an injection (a small needle), some of these vaccines are given as drops in the mouth. All these vaccines have been carefully tested for safety.
These vaccines protect against illnesses that can damage the heart, brain, nerves, spine, lungs, stomach and sometimes cause death.
Pre-school
The nasal flu vaccine is offered every year from age 2 to 16. This vaccine is sprayed into the nose. The nasal flu vaccine has pork gelatine in it, so it may not be right for some families. There is another flu vaccine without pork gelatine. It is given as an injection (a small needle). These flu vaccines are usually given at the GP for 2 and 3 year olds.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Across England a proportion of children do not get both does of the MMR vaccine and are not fully protected. Because of this, the World Health Organisation has taken away England's measles-free status. The MMRV vaccine is now offered to children instead of the MMR vaccine. It now protects against chickenpox (varicella) as well as measles, mumps, and rubella. Two doses are needed for the best protection.
Children are also offered the pneumococcal vaccine and the 4-in-1 vaccine. These vaccines protect against illnesses that can harm the heart, brain, nerves, spine, lungs and can sometimes cause death.
Childhood vaccines stop around 5,000 deaths and 228,000 hospital visits every year in England. To keep children safe, it is important that they get their vaccines.
Children and young people
Teenagers are offered vaccines at school by the School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS). Children who do not go to school can still get their vaccines at local community clinics.
The MenACWY vaccine helps protect against meningitis. Meningitis can cause loss of limbs, hearing loss, problems with eyesight, and can sometimes lead to death.
The 3-in-1 teenage booster (Td/IPV) helps protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and polio. These illnesses can harm the heart, brain, nerves, spine and can sometimes lead to death.
The HPV helps protect against a virus that can cause genital warts and cancers of the mouth, throat, anus and genitals. The HPV vaccine has been offered to girls since 2008 and boys since 2019. Research by Cancer Research UK found that the HPV vaccine has lowered cases of cervical cancer by around 90% in those who got vaccinated at age 12-13.
All children and young people of school age are also offered a nasal flu vaccine every year. As already outlined, this vaccine is sprayed into the nose and may not be right for some families because it contains pork gelatine but an alternative is available.
If a young person misses a vaccine, they or their parent or carer should contact SAIS or their GP to catch up.
