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Vaccinations & Immunisations

Vaccinations

It is recommended all routine childhood vaccinations are given at the usual times and should be arranged by your child’s GP.

Annual flu jabs are also recommended unless advised otherwise e.g. if your child has an egg allergy.

 

When to immunise Diseases protected against Vaccine given
Two months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Pneumococcal infection DTaP/IPV/Hib + Pneunovovval conjugate vaccine (PCV)
Three months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Meningitis C DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC
Four months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Meningitis C Pneumococcal infection DTaP/IPV/Hib + MenC + PCV
Around 12 months Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Meningitis C Hib/MenC
Around 13 months Measles, mumps and rubella Pneumococcal infection MMR + PCV
Three years and four months or soon after Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio, Measles, mumps and rubella DTdP/IPV or dTaP/IPV + MMR
Girls ages 12 to 13 years Cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 HPV
13 to 18 years old Diphtheria, tetanus and polio dTd/IPV

Last updated May 2021

 

Vaccination Information

All PCD patients should follow guidance for both annual vaccination programmes, and more long-term protection for other bacterial forms of pneumonia. The following guide is typical but can change depending on emergence of new organisms and development of vaccines. Your medical team will be able to update you on what is current.

  • Swine flu vaccines have been developed in a very similar way to the seasonal flu vaccine in response to the worldwide spread of the H1N1 virus. This is a newly identified virus and less is known about how it will behave in any given season, or what will happen when it is prevalent with another form of epidemic flu. It is safe and well tolerated, all PCD patients should be offered this protection.
  • It is recommended that children over 6 months of age get the annual flu vaccine – this can be arranged by your GP. The vaccines are usually available from October each year. If a child is receiving it for the first time, a 2nd dose is repeated 4 weeks later, otherwise it is a single injection (it is recommended that PCD children have the injections as opposed to the nasal spray as it is more effective because lots of PCD children have blocked noses) each year. For some needle-phobic children, you can ask your hospital to carry out the immunisation. It is also recommended that parents and siblings receive the vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccines are developed every year in response to the virus that is most prevalent. It does not protect against all forms of influenza and is only protective against the most likely virus to cause an epidemic that season.
  • Often recommended for children and adults with PCD. Check with your consultant whether you should have it.
    If in any doubt, check with your PCD specialist consultant which immunisations your child should have.
  • H. influenzae type B is now part of routine childhood vaccination programmes.
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common infection in PCD and all patients are advised to have the pneumococcal vaccine. This vaccine does not need to be given annually and covers many but not all serotypes of the organism. Therefore, pneumococcal infections may still occur and should be treated aggressively.

All adult PCD patients are recommended to have the COVID-19 vaccination and to ensure that they take two doses which should further increase their level of protection. However, currently children are not yet encouraged to have the vaccine, but this is subject to change. Please see our COVID-19 page for more information.