Guidance

Routine childhood immunisations from 1 September 2023

Updated 8 September 2023

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Routine childhood immunisations

When Diseases protected against Vaccine given Trade name Usual site [footnote 1]
8 weeks old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB Infanrix hexa or Vaxelis Thigh
  Meningococcal group B (MenB) MenB Bexsero Left thigh
  Rotavirus gastroenteritis Rotavirus Rotarix [footnote 2] By mouth
12 weeks old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and hepatitis B DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB Infanrix hexa or Vaxelis Thigh
  Pneumococcal (13 serotypes) PCV Prevenar 13 Thigh
  Rotavirus Rotavirus Rotarix [footnote 2] By mouth
16 weeks old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and hepatitis B DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB Infanrix hexa or Vaxelis Thigh
  MenB MenB Bexsero Left thigh
One years old (on or after the child’s first birthday) Hib and Meningococcal group C (MenC) Hib/MenC Menitorix Upper arm or thigh
  Pneumococcal PCV booster Prevenar 13 Upper arm or thigh
  Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) MMR MMRvaxPro [footnote 3] or Priorix Upper arm or thigh
  MenB MenB booster Bexsero Left thigh
Eligible paediatric age group [footnote 4] Influenza (each year from September) Live attenuated influenza vaccine LAIV Fluenz Tetra [footnote 3], [footnote 5] Both nostrils
3 years 4 months old or soon after Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio dTaP/IPV Boostrix-IPV Upper arm
  Measles, mumps and rubella MMR (check first dose given) MMRvaxPro [footnote 3] or Priorix Upper arm
Boys and girls aged 12 to 13 years Cancers and genital warts caused by specific human papillomavirus (HPV) types HPV [footnote 6] Gardasil 9 Upper arm
14 years old (school Year 9) Tetanus, diphtheria and polio Td/IPV (check MMR status) Revaxis Upper arm
  Meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y MenACWY Nimenrix Upper arm

Selective childhood immunisation programmes

Target group Age and schedule Disease Vaccines required
Babies born to hepatitis B infected mothers At birth, 4 weeks and 12 months old [footnote 7], [footnote 8] Hepatitis B Hepatitis B (Engerix B/HBvaxPRO)  
Infants in areas of the country with tuberculosis (TB) incidence >= 40/100,000 Around 28 days old [footnote 9] Tuberculosis BCG  
Infants with a parent or grandparent born in a high incidence country [footnote 10] Around 28 days old [footnote 9] Tuberculosis BCG  
Children in a clinical risk group From 6 months to 17 years of age Influenza LAIV or inactivated flu vaccine if contraindicated to LAIV or under 2 years of age  
Pregnant women At any stage of pregnancy during flu season Influenza Inactivated flu vaccine  
  From 16 weeks gestation Pertussis dTaP/IPV (Boostrix-IPV)  

  1. Intramuscular injection into deltoid muscle in upper arm or anterolateral aspect of the thigh. ↩

  2. Rotavirus vaccine should only be given after checking for a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) screening result. ↩ ↩2

  3. Contains porcine gelatine. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. See annual flu letter ↩

  5. If LAIV (live attenuated influenza vaccine) is contraindicated or otherwise unsuitable use inactivated flu vaccine (check Green Book chapter 19 for details). ↩

  6. See Green Book chapter 18a for immunising immunocompromised young people who will need 3 doses. ↩

  7. Take blood for HBsAg at 12 months to exclude infection. ↩

  8. In addition hexavalent vaccine (Infanrix hexa or Vaxelis) is given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. ↩

  9. Check SCID screening outcome before giving BCG. ↩ ↩2

  10. Where the annual incidence of TB is >= 40/100,000 – see tuberculosis by country: rates per 100,000 people ↩

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