Answers to the most common questions parents ask
Download the booklet "Your child's immunisation - A guide for parents" for information about the primary childhood programme (Birth - 13 months) – For babies born on or after 1 October 2016 English (2.8MB) or Irish Version (3MB)
Why are vaccines given at such an early age?
Vaccines are given at an early age because young babies are most vulnerable to these diseases and need to be protected as early as possible. For example, babies younger than 6 months are at the highest risk for serious complications of pertussis (six out of 10 need to go into hospital, and nine out of 10 deaths from whooping cough are in this age group). The MMR vaccine is not usually recommended for children under 12 months because it may not work properly.
How serious are these diseases?
Any of them can kill a child or an adult. It's easy to forget how serious they are because - thanks largely to vaccines - we don't see them nearly as much as we used to.
Measles used to kill thousands of people in Europe and the United States every year. In the 1940s and 1950s, tens of thousands of children were crippled or killed by polio. As recently as the mid-1980s, 100 children a year in Ireland suffered from meningitis and other serious complications as a result of Hib infection.
These diseases have not changed. They can still cause pneumonia, choking, meningitis, brain damage and heart problems in children who are not protected. These diseases still kill children in many parts of the world, even in Ireland.
Are too many vaccines given?
Some parents worry that giving several vaccines at once will overload their child's immune system or that the vaccines may not work properly. However, there is nothing to worry about as your child's immune system can easily cope with vaccines. Studies have shown that vaccines are just as safe and just as effective when they are given together as when they are given separately. For example, if your child received single injections instead of the combined MMR vaccine, they would be exposed to the diseases of measles, mumps or rubella for a longer period and would have to have six injections instead of two.
A number of injections are needed to give your child the fullest possible protection, so it is important to complete the course. The number of injections is reduced by the use of combination vaccines where several vaccines are combined into one injection.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended are chosen to give your child the earliest and best protection against disease.
Will immunisations still work if my child doesn't get them at the right time?
Yes. Most of these vaccines can be given at any age, and a child who misses one injection in a course of injections does not have to start again. The vaccines given will still work and your child will still develop protection. Just ask your GP.
Rotavirus oral vaccine cannot be given to babies 8 months 0 days and older.
Your child needs to get the vaccines at the right age so that they are protected from serious diseases when they are most vulnerable.
GET THE VACCINES ON TIME EVERY TIME
What will happen if my child doesn't get these vaccines?
Basically, one of two things could happen:
- If your child goes through life without ever being exposed to these diseases, nothing would happen.
- If your child is exposed to any of these diseases, as a child or as an adult, there is a good chance that he or she will get the disease.
Your child could:
- get mildly ill and have to stay inside for a few days; or
- get very sick and have to go into hospital or at worst die.
Your child could also spread those diseases to others who are not protected, such as children who are too young to be vaccinated. Many people could get very sick and some could die if not enough people in your community are protected.
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What are my child's chances of being exposed to these diseases?
Some of these diseases are very rare in Ireland today, so the chances of exposure are small, but others are still fairly common. Some of the diseases are rare in Ireland but common elsewhere in the world, so your child could get those diseases while travelling abroad.
You shouldn't assume your child is completely safe from diseases, even the rare ones. Diphtheria still occurs in some Asian countries. In 2010 a large polio epidemic took place in Eastern Europe. Polio still occurs in Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.
With increased travel to and from these countries, it is possible that these diseases will become more common. If enough people don't get immunised, epidemics will definitely follow.
If your child is not immunised, they are at a greater risk of getting these infections when they are older. Some infections are more serious in teenagers or adults than in children. For example, mumps in teenage boys or young men may cause swelling of the testicles and if a woman catches rubella during the early stages of pregnancy, this may cause major birth defects in the baby. Measles can be more serious in adults.
Do vaccines always work?
Vaccines work most of the time, but not always. Most childhood immunisations protect 90% to 99% of the children who get them, but sometimes a child will not respond to certain vaccines. This is another reason why it's important for all children to be immunised. A child who has not responded to immunisation depends on the immunity of others around them for protection. Your child could be infected by a child who hasn't been immunised, but not by one who is immune.
Effectiveness of Vaccines
|
Effectiveness of Vaccines
|
|
Vaccine
|
Percentage of children immune after getting the recommended doses of vaccine
|
|
BCG vaccine
|
Up to 80%
|
|
Diphtheria vaccine
|
97%
|
|
Hepatitis B vaccine
|
80 to 100%
|
|
Hib vaccine
|
95 to 100%
|
|
MMR vaccine
|
95%
|
|
MenB Vaccine
|
88%
|
|
Men C vaccine
|
90%
|
|
Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
|
75 to 90%
|
|
Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV)
|
90%
|
|
Polio vaccine
|
99%
|
|
Rotavirus oral vaccine
|
82-94%
|
|
Tetanus vaccine
|
Almost 100%
|
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What are the names of the vaccines my baby will receive?
Babies born on or after 1 October 2016
The table below shows the vaccine product name and the company that makes the vaccine.
|
Age
|
Vaccination
|
Product Name
|
Manufacturer
|
|
At Birth
|
BCG*
|
BCG
|
SSI
|
|
2 Months
|
6 in 1
+
PCV
+
MenB
+
Rotavirus
|
Infanrix Hexa
Prevenar 13
Bexsero
Rotarix
|
GSK
Pfizer
GSK
GSK
|
|
4 Months
|
6 in 1
+
MenB
+
Rotavirus
|
Infanrix Hexa
Bexsero
Rotarix
|
GSK
GSK
GSK
|
|
6 Months
|
6 in 1
+
PCV
+
MenC
|
Infanrix Hexa
Prevenar 13
Menjugate
|
GSK
Pfizer
GSK
|
|
12 Months
|
MMR
+
MenB
|
Priorix or MMRVaxpro
Bexsero
|
GSK or MSD Ireland (Human Health)
GSK
|
|
13 Months
|
Hib/MenC
+
PCV
|
Menitorix
Prevenar 13
|
GSK
Pfizer
|
*Read more about the BCG vaccine
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Where can I find out more information about these vaccines?
All vaccines used by the HSE as part of the immunisation programme are licensed by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and the European Medicines Agency.
The following websites provide detailed licensed information about the vaccines.
This information can be found in the patient information leaflet (PIL) and the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC).
To search these websites you need to know the name of the vaccine. The product names of each vaccine used in the primary childhood immunisation schedule are
Vaccine product name and manufacturer:
|
Vaccine
|
Product Name
|
Manufacturer
|
|
BCG*
|
BCG
|
SSI
|
|
6 in 1
|
Infanrix Hexa
|
GSK
|
|
PCV
|
Prevenar 13
|
Pfizer
|
|
MenB
|
Bexsero
|
GSK
|
|
MenC
|
Menjugate
|
GSK
|
|
MMR
|
Priorix
or
MMRVaxpro
|
GSK
Sanofi Pasteur MSD
|
|
Hib
|
Hiberix
|
GSK
|
|
Rotavirus
|
Rotarix
|
GSK
|
|
Hib/MenC
|
Menitorix
|
GSK
|
** Read more about the BCG vaccine
* BCG PIL and SmPC are available at the following sites SmPC for BCG http://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/LicenseSPC_PA0798-002-001_10032015102039.pdf PIL for BCG: http://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/2154093.PA0798_002_001.5b50067d-5964-4dff-8d66-081f7341c67f.000001BCG%20Vaccine%20PIL.150309.pdf
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What is in vaccines?
Vaccines contain active ingredients (the vaccine itself) and additives such as preservatives and stabilisers.
Active ingredients
Vaccines are made from the same germs that cause infections, but the germs in vaccines are either killed or weakened so that they won't make your child sick and are safe to use.
Additives
Vaccines may contain:
- a small amount of preservative to protect the vaccine from contamination
- other additives to make sure that the active vaccine ingredient is evenly mixed throughout the injection mixture and
- a small amount of aluminium salt, which helps the body to respond better to the vaccine.
- The level of additives in vaccines is very low and within internationally recommended levels. These additives do not cause any serious health problems in babies and young children.
There is no thiomersal (mercury) in any of the vaccines used in the childhood immunisation programme in Ireland.
Where can I find a list of vaccine ingredients?
The following websites provide detailed licensed information about vaccines including the ingredients:
To search these websites you need to know the name of the vaccine. The product names of each vaccine used in the primary childhood immunisation schedule are:
Vaccine product name and manufacturer:
|
Vaccine
|
Product Name
|
Manufacturer
|
|
BCG*
|
BCG
|
SSI
|
|
6 in 1
|
Infanrix Hexa
|
GSK
|
|
PCV
|
Prevenar 13
|
Pfizer
|
|
MenB
|
Bexsero
|
GSK
|
|
MenC
|
Menjugate
|
GSK
|
|
MMR
|
Priorix
or
MMRVaxpro
|
GSK
Sanofi Pasteur MSD
|
|
Hib
|
Hiberix
|
GSK
|
|
Rotavirus
|
Rotarix
|
GSK
|
|
Hib/MenC
|
Menitorix
|
GSK
|
* BCG PIL and SmPC are available at the following sites SmPC for BCG http://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/LicenseSPC_PA0798-002-001_10032015102039.pdf PIL for BCG: http://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/2154093.PA0798_002_001.5b50067d-5964-4dff-8d66-081f7341c67f.000001BCG%20Vaccine%20PIL.150309.pdf
The list of ingredients is available in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)
More detailed information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs). SPCs follow a standard format and to find what is in each vaccine you should look at
Section 2 - qualitative and quantitative composition
and
Section 6.1 - list of excipients.
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Are vaccines safe?
The vaccines used in Ireland are safe. All medicines can cause side effects, but with vaccines these are usually mild, like a sore arm or leg or a slight fever. Serious side effects to vaccines are extremely rare.
Research from around the world shows that immunisation is the safest way to protect your child's health. Your doctor or nurse can discuss the risks with you before giving your child their vaccines.
All the recommended vaccines used to protect children in Ireland are licensed by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or the European Medicines Agency. They are allowed to be used only after they have been shown to be both effective and safe.
What about the scare stories?
We know that vaccines don't cause autism, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, allergies, asthma or attention deficit disorder (commonly known as hyperactivity). However, when things happen to our children around the same time as they are immunised we can wrongly presume that there is a link. For example, the signs of autism usually become noticeable at about the age when children are given the MMR vaccine, but one does not cause the other. Because most children get immunised, those who have conditions such as autism, asthma or attention deficit disorder will probably have been immunised as well. Studies to see if children who have been immunised are more likely to have these conditions have shown that there is no link between the conditions and vaccines.
Extensive research into the MMR vaccine, involving thousands of children, was carried out in the UK, the USA, Sweden and Finland. This research showed that there is no link between MMR and autism. One study looked at every child born in Denmark from 1991 to 1998. During that time, 82% of children born in Denmark received the MMR vaccine. The researchers looked at the records of over half a million children and found the risk of autism was the same in immunised children as in children who had not been immunised. Experts from around the world, including the World Health Organization, agree that there is no link between MMR and autism.
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How do I know when to bring my baby for vaccination?
Vaccination invitation letters are sent to parents by local health offices as a reminder to bring babies to GP practices for vaccination.
It is important to get vaccinated on time at 2, 4, 6, 12 and 13 months of age to prevent vaccine preventable diseases.
If I am late bringing my baby for vaccination will I receive a reminder?</span
If you are late bringing your baby for vaccination you will receive a letter from the HSE local health offices reminding you to make an appointment with your GP practice to get your child protected.
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I received a letter saying my baby is late for vaccination but their vaccines are up to date, what should I do?
If you receive a letter saying your child is late getting their vaccines and they have been vaccinated please contact the local health office who issued the letter to you and contact your GP practice to confirm your child’s vaccines are up to date. The contact details for the local health office will be on the top of the letter you have received.
Where can I get a copy of my child's vaccination records?
The primary childhood immunisation programme is carried out by your GP (family doctor) practice, they should have a copy of the vaccinations they have given to your child. The records may also be available from your local health office.
In most areas the school immunisation programme is carried out by the HSE school immunisation teams and the vaccination record will be held in your local health office. In a small number of areas the school vaccinations are carried out in GP practices and records should be available through your GP or local health office.
The National Immunisation Office produces immunisation passports that you or the vaccinator can fill in so all of your child's records can be kept together. To order a copy of this booklet for your child's vaccinations for babies born on or after 1 October 2016.
For more information
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This page was updated on 17 June 2022
