The UK has a national schedule of vaccinations that is offered to all children with an aim to preventing some of the serious viral and bacterial diseases that can affect childhood, and cause long term health problems into the future.

Vaccinations work by introducing a tiny amount of the virus or bacteria into the body, which allows antibodies to be formed that attack and isolate the harmful microbes before they can do any damage.  This means that in the future if the body comes into contact with these viruses or bacteria again it will have the antibodies ready to protect against it.

The schedule of vaccinations is as follows:
·    3 months – Multi Vaccination (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis and Polio) and Meningitis C vaccination
·    12 months – Meningitis C vaccination
·    13 months – Measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and Pneumococcal (Prevenar) vaccination
·    3-5 years old – Multi Vaccination (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis and Polio) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccination
·    13 years (girls only) – Human papillomavirus (cervical cancer) vaccination.
·    13-18 years – Multi Vaccination (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Polio)

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