Overview
Live attenuated vaccines
Contain a weakened form of a pathogen to elicit an immune response. These should be avoided in people with immunocompromised states as this may risk infection occurring. Example vaccines include:
- Intranasal influenza
- MMR – measles, mumps, and rubella
- Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
- Oral rotavirus
- Oral polio
- Oral typhoid
- Yellow fever
Inactivated vaccines
Contain pathogens that have been killed. Booster doses may be needed as they elicit weaker immune responses in general compared to live vaccines. Example vaccines include:
- Hepatitis B
- Intramuscular influenza
- Rabies
Toxoid vaccines
Also known as inactivated toxin vaccines, they contain antigens from deactivated toxins to elicit an immune response. They often require boosters as immunity wanes over time:
- Tetanus
- Pertussis
- Diphtheria
Subunit vaccines
Contain part of a pathogen to elicit an immune response:
- Hepatitis B
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Conjugate vaccines
Contain part of a pathogen and other immunogenic bacterial polysaccharide proteins:
- Pneumococcus
- Haemophilus
- Meningococcus
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines
Contain mRNA which is used to produce proteins that elicit an immune response, such as the COVID-19 vaccines.
Immunisation Schedule
Routine Immunisations
In the UK, all children are entitled to free immunisations as highlighted below:
- 2 months – 6-in-1 vaccine: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B + oral rotavirus + meningitis B
- 3 months – 6-in-1 + oral rotavirus + pneumococcal vaccine (PCV)
- 4 months – 6-in-1 + meningitis B
- 12-13 months – HiB/meningitis C + measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) + PCV + meningitis B
- 2,3, 4 years – annual flu vaccine
- 3 years and 4 months – 4-in-1: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio + MMR
- 12-13 years – HPV vaccine in both boys and girls
- 13-18 years – 3-in-1: tetanus, diphtheria, polio + meningitis ACWY
At-Risk Groups
Some children may be at an increased risk of certain diseases and may be offered additional immunisations as highlighted below:
- At birth if tuberculosis risk is high – bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine
At birth if mother is hepatitis B positive – hepatitis B