Babies and children require several vaccines throughout their infancy and childhood to ensure a healthy life ahead.

What is immunisation?

Immunisation? Vaccination? Inoculation? Are they the same or three very different concepts? Immunisation is the act of making someone immune to a disease or illness using a vaccine or inoculation. Different vaccines work in different ways to protect the immune system. Vaccines work by exposing the body to a pathogen (an organism that causes a disease) in order to “teach” the immune system how to protect itself should it be exposed to the disease again. Although the jab takes a matter of seconds, it usually takes a few weeks for the body to build up the necessary protection.

Why is immunisation important?

Immunisation saves millions of lives every year. They also help prevent and control infectious disease outbreaks, like Covid-19. If enough people get vaccinated, then the people who are vaccinated protect people who can’t be vaccinated from a disease for medical reasons.

Children should be vaccinated at birth, six weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 9 months, 18 months, six years and lastly, at 12-years-old. The vaccines protect your child from a host of diseases, including:

• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Polio
• Rotavirus
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Hepatitis B
• Measles
• Meningitis

What vaccines do children need in 2022?

At birth:

• BCG (tuberculosis vaccine)
• OPV (oral polio vaccine)

6 weeks:

• OPV (oral polio vaccine)
• RV (rotavirus vaccine)
• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB (6-in-1) for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B.
• PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)

10 weeks:

• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB (6-in-1) for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B. Hepatitis B Combined.

14 weeks:

• RV (rotavirus vaccine)
• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB (6-in-1) for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B.
• PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine), and Hepatitis B Combined.

6 months:

• Measles (1)

9 months:

• PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)

12 months:

• Measles (2)

18 months:

• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB (6-in-1) for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B. Hepatis B Combined.

6 Years:

• Both girls and boys: Td vaccine tetanus and reduced strength of diphtheria vaccine.

12 Years:

• Both girls and boys: Td vaccine tetanus and reduced strength of diphtheria vaccine.

Bottom line

Childhood immunisation is important for your infant or child to protect them from harmful diseases that may compromise his or her health throughout life. Immunisation is vitally important not only for you and your family, but also your community. It prevents diseases but also acts as disease-control should an outbreak occur.

Speak to your doctor, paediatrician or clinic nurse to find out when your child requires his or her vaccinations and any other information you require.