All children in the UK are offered vaccinations against key diseases, as part of the national childhood immunisation schedule.
The most recent changes in September 2008 have seen:
The HPV vaccine will be offered to girls aged 12 to 13 years, in schools from September 2008.
There's a course of three injections, over a period of about six months.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there's also a catch-up programme that will enable the vaccine to be offered to other older girls aged 13 to 18 years old. This programme includes all girls born between 1st September 1990 and 31st August 1995 inclusive.
Details of the catch-up programme are as follows:
- girls aged 17 to 18 years (in school year 13) will be offered the vaccine in the 2008 to 09 school year by their GP
- girls aged 16 to 18 years (in school years 12 and 13) and girls aged 15 to 17 years (in school years 11 and 12) will be offered the vaccine in the 2009 to 10 school year.
In Scotland the catch-up programme will offer the vaccine to all girls aged 16 to 17 years from September 2008 and to all girls aged 14 to 16 years from September 2009.
The British immunisation schedule
The vaccination schedule covers the following diseases:
The vaccinations at the ages of two months and pre-school (three to five years) are usually combined with a routine medical examination.
At 3-5 years (usually before child starts school)
At 12-13 years (girls only)
| Name of vaccine | How is it given? |
| Human papillomavirus (HPV) (Cervarix) | Three injections given over six months |
School leavers (13-18 years)
| Name of vaccine | How is it given? |
| Diphtheria + Tetanus + Polio (Revaxis) | One injection |
The BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis is no longer given routinely to school-age children. Instead, the vaccine is now only recommended for infants and children at high risk of the disease.
Why is it important to vaccinate my child?
Vaccination can prevent your child from getting serious diseases that can kill or cause long-term health problems. Vaccinated babies are much less likely to suffer the devastating consequences of this disease.
A vaccine works by containing a tiny part of the virus or bacteria that causes the disease. When the vaccine is given, the body's immune system reacts towards the vaccine and forms a protection (antibodies) against it. These antibodies will be ready to protect your child should he or she ever come into contact with that infection.
Immunisation helps to prevent outbreaks and epidemics of these infectious diseases.
What if my child has a fever?
When children have a fever, the vaccination should be postponed. If your child has an ordinary cold, but their temperature is normal, it is safe for the vaccine to be given.
What are the side effects of the vaccinations?
No vaccine is free from side effects. Some parents focus on the side effects of the vaccines, instead of the diseases your child is protected against.
The risk of serious complications from the vaccines is always much lower than the risk if your child falls ill with one of the diseases.
- Allergy to the vaccines is rare.
- The vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib may cause a red area and swelling at the vaccination spot. This will disappear within a few days. Your child may get a fever on the day of the jab and for up to 10 days later.
- The most common side effects associated with the pneumococcal vaccine are reactions at the injection site (such as pain, tenderness, redness or swelling), fever and irritability. Your child may also be drowsy.
- The MMR vaccine may cause a brief reaction that can begin from a few days to three weeks after vaccination. Your child may get mild symptoms like the diseases that are being vaccinated against, eg cold, skin reaction, fever or swollen salivary glands. Your child will not be contagious. Detailed and exhaustive research over the past few years has demonstrated that there is no link between the MMR jab and Crohn's disease and autism.
The meningitis C vaccine may have the following effects.
- Babies: some swelling and redness where the injection is given.
- Toddlers over 12 months: some swelling and redness where the injection is given. About one in four toddlers may have disturbed sleep. About 1 in 20 toddlers may have a mild fever.
- Pre-school children: about 1 in 20 may have some swelling at the injection site. About 1 in 50 may have a mild fever within a few days of the vaccination.
- Children and young people: about one in four may have some swelling and redness at the injection site. About 1 in 50 may have a mild fever. About 1 in 100 may have a very sore arm from the injection, which may last a day or so.
The most common side effects associated with the HPV vaccine are pain, redness and swelling at the injection site.
Other common side effects may include:
- headache
- aching muscles or joints
- redness and swelling at site of injection
- fever
- dizziness
- skin irritation, such as itching and rash
- disturbances of the gut, such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain.
On very rare occasions, vaccinations may cause serious complications.
How long will my child be protected by the vaccinations?
After completing the programme, your child will be protected from the following.
- Diphtheria and tetanus: for at least 10 years, or possibly longer.
- Whooping cough: for at least three years. However, this is still being studied. If those who have been vaccinated do get the disease in later life, it's a milder version.
- Meningitis: long-term protection.
- Polio: life-long protection.
- Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles): would appear to offer long-lasting protection that is very probably lifelong.
- Meningitis C: would appear to offer long-lasting protection that is very probably lifelong.
- Cervical cancer: studies show that protection lasts for at least five years. Further studies are ongoing to establish if a booster will be needed
