Immunisations and vaccinations

As a parent, you may not like seeing your baby or child being given an injection. However, vaccination will help protect them against a range of serious and potentially fatal diseases.

Vaccines do:

• get safety tested for years before being introduced – they're also monitored for any side effects
• protect you and your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases
• reduce or even get rid of some diseases – if enough people are vaccinated

You can find information on the childhood immunisation schedule, including the ages at which they should ideally be given, reasons for vaccinating, and managing side effects on the NHS page about vaccinations.

If you're not sure whether you or your child has had all your routine vaccinations, ask your GP surgery to find out for you.

Useful websites with information about vaccinations:

• NHS: NHS vaccinations and when to have them
• NHS: Why vaccination is safe and important
• NHS: Tuberculosis (TB)
• NHS Whooping Cough