Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. They work by training your immune system to develop antibodies that protect you from disease.
All vaccines are extensively researched and tested before they are approved for use. Their effectiveness and side effects are also regularly monitored. Existing vaccines are also amended or improved to combat new or dominant strains of certain conditions.
Every year, more than 3 million lives are saved by vaccinations.
Despite this, misinformation anti-vaccine stories often circulate online, primarily through social media. These stories are often without any scientific backing.
Avoiding or delaying vaccines is detrimental to your health, especially in childhood. The World Health Organisation lists vaccine hesitancy as one of the biggest threats to world health.
NHS vaccination schedule
Babies Under 1 year old:
8 weeks old:
6-in-1 Vaccine (1st dose)
Rotavirus Vaccine (1st dose)
MenB (1st dose)
12 weeks old:
6-in-1 Vaccine (2nd dose)
Rotavirus Vaccine (2nd dose)
Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV)
16 weeks old:
6-in-1 Vaccine (3rd dose)
MenB Vaccine (2nd dose)
1 year old:
Hib/MenC (1st dose)
MMR (1st dose)
Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (2nd dose)
MenB (3rd dose)
2 to 10 years old:
Flu vaccine (every year)
3 years old and 4 months:
MMR (2nd dose)
4-in-1 pre-school booster
12 to 13 years old:
14 years old:
3-in-1 teenage booster
MenACWY
If you choose not to vaccinate your child, understand the risks and responsibilities
