Vaccines during childhood

The following table provides an overview of which vaccines should be offered at which age by who:

Age due	Vaccine offered	Provider
8 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (1st dose) Rotavirus vaccine (1st dose) MenB vaccine (1st dose)	Your GP Practice should contact you about these vaccinations.   Please contact your GP Practice to discuss if you have not been contacted or your child has missed any of these vaccinations.
12 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose) MenB vaccine (2nd dose)
16 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) Pneumococcal vaccine (1st dose)
1 year	MMR vaccine (1st dose) Pneumococcal vaccine (2nd dose) MenB vaccine (3rd dose)   For children born on or before 30 June 2024: Hib/MenC vaccine (1st dose)
1 year and 6 months (18 months)	For children born on or after 1 July 2024: 6-in-1 vaccine (4th dose) MMR vaccine (2nd dose)
2 - 15 years (every year until children finish Year 11 of secondary school)	Children’s flu vaccine	Children aged 2 - 3 on 31 August each year should be offered the chance to receive the flu vaccine at their GP Practice.   Most school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) should be offered the chance to receive the flu vaccine at school. Should this be missed, a number of community catch-up clinics are also offered by our school-aged provider Vaccination UK (Catch-up clinics).   Children with certain long-term health conditions that put them at higher risk from flu can get a flu vaccine from their: School (if they're in Reception to Year 11) GP Practice (any age)
3 years and 4 months	4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine   For children born on or before 30 June 2024: MMR vaccine (2nd dose)	Your GP Practice should contact you about these vaccinations.   Please contact your GP Practice to discuss if you have not been contacted or your child has missed any of these vaccinations.
12 to 13 years	HPV vaccine	Children are usually offered the HPV vaccine at school when they're 12 or 13 years old (school year 8).   Should this be missed, a number of community catch-up clinics are also offered by our school-aged provider Vaccination UK (Catch-up clinics) or you can contact your GP practice if you have left school.
14 years	Td/IPV vaccine (3-in-1 teenage booster) MenACWY vaccine	Teenagers are usually offered the Td/IPV vaccine (3-in-1 teenage booster) and MenACWY vaccine at school when they're 13 or 14 years old (school year 9 or 10).   Should these be missed, a number of community catch-up clinics are also offered by our school-aged provider Vaccination UK (Catch-up clinics) or you can contact your GP practice if you have left school.

Measles is still circulating.If you or your child has not previously had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, you can still ask your GP for the vaccine.

Alternatively, the following community pharmacy providers also offer MMR vaccinations to young people aged 5-19 years old:

Brent

• Gimmack Pharmacy - 177 Cricklewood Broadway, London, NW2 3HT. Please contact 0208 452 2418 to book an appointment.
• Jade Pharmacy (Kingsbury) - 533 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury Circle, NW9 9EG. Please contact 0208 204 8651 to book an appointment. Walk-ins also accepted (ages 5 -19).

Ealing

• Gill Chemist - 31-33 King Street, Southall, UB2 4DG. Please contact 0208 571 1555 or 0208 571 4969 to book an appointment. Walk-ins also accepted.
• Roxannes Pharmacy - 51 The Broadway, Greenford, UB6 9PN. Please contact 0208 578 2307 to book an appointment. Walk-ins also accepted.
• Wellcare Pharmacy (Acton) - 155 High Street, Acton, W3 6LP. Please contact 0208 992 1387 to book an appointment.
• Wellcare Pharmacy (Northolt) - 5 Haydock Green, Northolt, UB5 4AP. Please contact 0208 422 2620 to book an appointment.

Hammersmith and Fulham

• Green Light Pharmacy - 228-230 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 7JD. Please contact 0208 743 1320 to book an appointment.
• Marcus Jones Pharmacy - 96 Old Oak Common Lane, East Acton, W3 7DA. Please contact 0208 743 3674 to book an appointment.

Harrow

• Kings Pharmacy - 903 Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, HA7 1AR. Please phone 0208 952 1260 or email pharmacy.fq407@nhs.net to book an appointment. Walk-ins also accepted.
• Fairview Pharmacy - 293-295 Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, HA8 5ED. Please contact 0208 951 0542 to book an appointment or use the following link to book online: fairviewpharmacy.co.uk/our-services/nhs-mmr-vaccine-in-edgware. Walk-ins also accepted.

Hillingdon

• Eastcote Pharmacy - 111 Field End Road, Eastcote, HA5 1QG. Please contact 0208 866 2572 or visit the pharmacy’s website to book an appointment. Walk-ins also accepted.

Westminster

• Hodgetts Chemist - 79 Abbey Road, London, NW8 0AE. Please contact 0207 624 1033 to book an appointment.

If you are starting at college or university you should make sure you have had:

• The MenACWY vaccine - which protects against serious infections like meningitis. You can still ask your GP for this vaccine until your 25^th birthday.
• 2 doses of the MMR vaccine - as there are outbreaks of mumps and measles at universities. If you have not previously had 2 doses of MMR, you can still ask your GP for the vaccine or, if under 20, visit one of our community pharmacy providers (see ‘MMR catch-up’ tab above).
• The HPV vaccine - which helps protect against genital warts and cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), such as cervical cancer.

Vaccination UK are the new provider of the Children and Young People's Community Immunisation Service (CYPCIS), formally the School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS), across all eight north west London boroughs.

This includes the seasonal school-aged influenza (Reception - Year 11) and teenage immunisation (HPV - usually in Year 8; MenACWY and Td/IPV (3-in-1 teenage booster) - usually in Year 9) programmes, which are primarily delivered in schools*, plus the infant BCG service for new-borns and the neonatal Hepatitis B immunisation service.

*There are a number of community catch-up clinics should your child miss their vaccination at school

More information on Vaccination UK, the services they provide, a link to the consent process and relevant borough contact information, can be found here.

What are “routine” childhood vaccinations?

These are the vaccines that the NHS recommends for all children, they are given for free. Visit NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS (www.nhs.uk) to check which ones your child is due.

How can I find out if my child is up to date with their vaccines?

You can contact your GP surgery to check if your child is up to date with their vaccinations.

For children and babies, you can also check their personal child health record (the ‘Red Book’). If your child is not registered with a GP, you can still arrange a vaccination.

My child isn’t registered with a GP - how do I get them vaccinated?

If your child is not registered with a GP, you can still arrange a vaccination. Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery. It’s free to register. You do not need any proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number.

You can find a GP local to you at www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp

You can either register your child online or call or email the GP surgery and ask to be registered as a patient.

My child is unwell - should they still go for their vaccination?

Your child can still be vaccinated if they have a minor illness e.g. a cold without a high temperature. If your child has a high temperature, they should not be vaccinated. Make a new appointment when they are better.

Are vaccines safe for my child?

All vaccines are thoroughly tested to make sure they will not harm you or your child.

Find out more by watching this video: Why vaccination is important and the safest way to protect yourself - NHS

What to expect after vaccinations?

Find out more about common side effects and what to expect after vaccinations in babies and young children up to 5 years of age: What to expect after vaccinations - GOV.UK

What if my child gets a fever after vaccination?

Fever can be expected after any vaccination.  It is more common after the first two doses of the Meningococcal B (Men B) vaccination.

If your child does develop a fever, this normally peaks around six hours after the vaccination and should settle within two days. If your child still has a fever 48 hours after the vaccination, or if you are concerned about their health at any time, call your GP or dial 111. If your child needs urgent medical help call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department.

Will my child's vaccinations "overwhelm" their immune system?

Vaccinations will not overwhelm your child’s immune system and do not make them more likely to get other infections.

Children only need to use a tiny part of their immune system to respond to vaccinations. Their immune system can still fight other infections if they pick something up at the same time.

Do some vaccines contain porcine gelatine?

In the UK routine immunisation programme, there are two vaccines that contain porcine gelatine:

• Fluenz®, the nasal spray vaccine that protects children against flu
• MMR VaxPro®, a vaccine that protects against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

Non-porcine gelatine alternatives:

• Flu: Fluenz® is the preferred vaccine for children, and it is quick, easy, and painless to administer. It may also be better at reducing spread of flu in the community. If you do not accept medicines or vaccines that contain porcine gelatine, a flu vaccine injection that does not contain gelatine is available.
• MMR: Priorix® does not contain gelatine and is as safe and effective as MMR VaxPro®

Speak to your practice nurse, GP or health visitor if you have concerns about gelatine.

Will catching the disease make my child's immune system stronger than a vaccine?

When your child is infected with a bacteria or virus, their immune system learns to defend against that same infection in the future. However, some infections can cause serious illness and even death.

Vaccinations provide long-lasting defence against infection by teaching your child’s immune system to fight a specific bacteria or virus, but do this without the potentially harmful effects of an infection.

Is there a link between the MMR vaccine and autism?

No. There is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Despite widespread misinformation, multiple studies have shown that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism, and previous studies that did report a link have been discredited.

For more information please visit The University of Oxford Vaccine Knowledge Group Project page relating to the MMR vaccine: MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine) | Vaccine Knowledge Project

Does it matter if fewer children are vaccinated?

When fewer children are vaccinated infectious diseases can spread much more easily. For example, cases of measles in children have increased after a drop in measles (MMR) vaccinations.

This means unvaccinated children (and children who cannot have vaccinations due to underlying conditions) are at greater risk of catching serious diseases.

The NHS has more information: Why vaccination is safe and important - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

What do I do if I have missed a routine vaccination?

You can catch up on any missed or delayed vaccinations (e.g. because of Covid-19). The best thing to do is to call your GP practice to book a new appointment.

I still have questions or worries about getting my child vaccinated - what should I do?

Contact your practice nurse, GP or health visitor. They will be happy to talk to you about vaccinations and answer any of your questions.

How can I find information and advice in different languages?

The Oxford Vaccine Group website has advice in other languages. Select a different language at the bottom of the linked page.