Childhood immunisation in the UK and Ireland
How can I protect my children from meningitis?
The single most effective thing your children from meningitis is to make sure they are fully immunised. Every injection in the routine immunisation programme for babies protects against some form of meningitis, as indicated in bold.
Routine immunisation schedule for babies in the UK
| 2 months |
3 months |
4 months |
12 to 13months |
|
Hib + diptheria, tetanus,
whooping cough, polio
(DTaP/IPV/Hib)
|
Hib + diptheria, tetanus,
whooping cough, polio
(DTaP/IPV/Hib)
|
Hib + diptheria, tetanus,
whooping cough, polio
(DTaP/IPV/Hib)
|
|
Pneumococcal (PCV13)
|
|
Pneumococcal (PCV13) |
Pneumococcal (PCV13) |
|
Meningococcal C (MenC) |
Meningococcal C (MenC) |
|
|
|
|
Hib + Meningococcal C (Hib/MenC) |
|
|
|
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
|
Current schedule in Republic of Ireland for children born on or after 1st July 2008
| 2 months |
4 months |
6 months |
12 months |
13 months |
Diptheria/ Tetanus/ Pertussis/ Polio / Hib/ Hepatitis B
('6-in-one') |
Diptheria/ Tetanus/ Pertussis/ Polio / Hib/ Hepatitis B
('6-in-one') |
Diptheria/ Tetanus/ Pertussis/ Polio / Hib/ Hepatitis B
('6-in-one') |
|
|
|
MenC |
MenC |
|
MenC |
| Pneumococcal |
|
Pneumococcal |
Pneumococcal |
|
|
|
|
MMR |
|
|
|
|
|
Hib |
|
|
|
|
|
There is a catch-up programme if your child was born between 02/09/06-30/06/08. You can view this immunisation schedule at http://www.immunisation.ie/en/HotTopics/Text_15413_en.html
Although vaccines provide excellent protection, not all forms of meningitis can be prevented, so it is important to know the symptomsso that you can recognise the disease in time to get medical help if your child is affected.