IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULER

At Birth

Your baby is due to get:

BCG (Tuberculosis vaccine)

OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Dose 1

Hep B (Hepatitis B vaccine) Dose 1

6-8 weeks

Your baby is due for:

DTaP (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) Dose 1 

HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae type B vaccine) Dose 1

PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine) Dose 1
This is to prevent pneumonia and meningitis (brain fever). It is quite a costly vaccine and is given as an injection in three doses. 

Rotavirus Dose 1
This vaccine helps protect against rotavirus - the leading cause of diarrhoea. The WHO recommends this vaccine because the rotavirus is a major cause of dehydration in babies. 

OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Dose 2 

Hep B (Hepatitis B vaccine) Dose 2

Optional vaccine:

IPV (Injectible polio vaccine) Dose 1 
It is given in addition to the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and is not a substitute i.e. both can be given on the same day). 

Note: DTaP, HIB and IPV are also available as a single conjugate vaccine.

10-16 weeks

Your baby is due for:

DTaP (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) Dose 2

HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae type B vaccine) Dose 2

PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine) Dose 2

Rotavirus Dose 2OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Dose 3 Optional vaccine:

IPV (Injectible polio vaccine) Dose 2 
It is given in addition to the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and is not a substitute i.e. both can be given on the same day).

Note: DTaP, HIB and IPV are also available as a single conjugate vaccine.

14-24 weeks

Your baby is due for:

DTaP (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) Dose 3

Hep B (Hepatitis B vaccine) Dose 3 

HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae type B vaccine) Dose 3

PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine) Dose 3

Rotavirus Dose 3

OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Dose 4 

Optional vaccine: 

IPV (Injectible polio vaccine) Dose 3
It is given in addition to the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and is not a substitute i.e. both can be given on the same day).

Note: DTaP, HIB and IPV are also available as a single conjugate vaccine.

6 months

Optional vaccine: 

Influenza vaccine Dose 1 
This prevents common flu to a large extent. It is administered as an injection any time after 6 months age. First timers are given 2 shots with a gap of 4 to 6 weeks. After the priming doses, one shot is given every year between October and December. This vaccine is unique, as it is specially manufactured for that particular year only, depending on the flu virus prevalent.

7-8 months

Optional vaccine: 

Influenza vaccine Dose 2
This prevents common flu to a large extent. It is administered as an injection any time after 6 months age. First timers are given 2 shots with a gap of 4 to 6 weeks. After the priming doses, one shot is given every year between October and December. This vaccine is unique as it is specially manufactured for that particular year only, depending on the flu virus prevalent.

9-12 months

Your baby is due for: 

Measles vaccine

OPV (Oral polio vaccines) Dose 5

12-18 months

Your baby is due for: 

Hep A (Hepatitis A vaccine) Dose 1 

Optional vaccine: 

Chickenpox
The chickenpox vaccine provides lifelong protection from the chickenpox virus.

15-18 months

Your baby is due for: 

MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine)

HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae type B vaccine) Booster 

DTaP (Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) Booster 1

18-24 months

Your baby is due for: 

OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Booster 1

Hep A (Hepatitis A vaccine) Dose 2

2 years

Your baby is due for: 

Typhoid vaccine
The vaccine will protect your baby against typhoid. Typhoid is a bacterial disease which spreads through contaminated food and water. Your baby will need a dose of this vaccine every three years. 

Optional vaccine: 

Meningococcal meningitis
This again prevents meningitis (brain fever). It is given from 2 years age as an injection and is valid for 2 years. It is available in two varieties, one protecting against all 4 strains and the other against 2 strains. 

4-5 years

Your baby is due for: 

OPV (Oral polio vaccine) Booster 2 

Typhoid Dose 2 

MMR (measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) Booster

DTaP (Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis) Booster 2

Optional vaccine: 

Chickenpox Booster

VARICELLA VACCINE

The varicella vaccine is a live (attenuated) virus administered to protect against the viral disease commonly known as chickenpox caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). The varicella vaccine is marketed as Varivax in the U.S. by Merck and globally as Varilrix by GlaxoSmithKline. Another vaccine that is known as Zostavax is simply a larger-than-normal dose of Varivax, and is used in older adults to reduce the risk of shingles (also called herpes zoster) and postherpetic neuralgia that are caused by the same virus.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.

Varicella vaccine is 70% to 90% effective for preventing varicella and more than 95% effective for preventing severe varicella.[2] Furthermore, follow-up evaluations took place in the United States of children immunized that revealed protection for at least 11 years. Also, studies were conducted in Japan which indicated protection for at least 20 years.

People who do not develop enough protection when they get the vaccine may develop a mild case of the disease when in close contact with a person with chickenpox. In these cases, people show very little sign of illness. This has been the case of children who get the vaccine in their early childhood and later have contact with children with chickenpox. Some of these children may develop a mild chickenpox also known as breakthrough disease.

INFLUENZA VACCINE

The influenza vaccination is an annual vaccination using a vaccine specific for a given year to protect against the highly variable influenza virus. Each seasonal influenza vaccine contains antigens representing three (trivalent vaccine) or four (quadrivalent vaccine) influenza virus strains: one influenza type A subtype H1N1 virus strain, one influenza type A subtype H3N2 virus strain, and either one or two influenza type B virus strains.[2] Influenza vaccines may be administered as an injection, also known as a flu shot, or as a nasal spray.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone over the ages of 6 months should receive the seasonal influenza vaccine. Vaccination campaigns usually focus on people who are at high risk of serious complications if they catch the flu, such as the elderly and people living with chronic illness or those with weakened immune systems, as well as health care workers.

Most flu vaccines provide significant protection against the virus.[5] Despite somewhat limited research, there is no evidence that they can cause serious harm, and no reason for serious side effects to be a concern.

CHOLERA VACCINE

Cholera vaccine is a vaccine used against cholera. The first vaccines used against cholera were developed in the late nineteenth century. These injected whole cell vaccines became increasingly popular until they were replaced by oral vaccines starting in the 1980s. Both oral and injectable forms are about 50-60% effective in the first year.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.

Oral cholera vaccines are increasingly used as an additional tool to control cholera outbreaks in combination with the traditional interventions to improve safe water supply, sanitation, handwashing and other means to improve hygiene. Since licensure of Dukoral and Shanchol, over a million doses of these vaccines have been deployed in various mass oral cholera campaigns around the world. In addition, Vietnam incorporates oral cholera vaccination in its public health programme and over 9 million doses have been administered through targeted mass vaccination or immunization of school-aged children in cholera endemic regions.

The cholera vaccine is largely used by backpackers and persons visiting locations where there is a high risk of cholera infection. However, since it does not provide 100% immunity from the disease, food hygiene precautions should also be taken into consideration when visiting an area where there is a high risk of becoming infected with cholera. Although the protection observed has been described as "moderate", herd immunity can multiply the effectiveness of vaccination. Dukoral has been licensed for children 2 years of age and older, Shanchol for children 1 year of age and older. The administration of the vaccine to adults confers additional indirect protection (herd immunity) to children.

The WHO recommends both preventive and reactive use of the vaccine, making the following key statements:"WHO recommends that current available cholera vaccines be used as complements to traditional control and preventive measures in areas where the disease is endemic and should be considered in areas at risk for outbreaks. Vaccination should not disrupt the provision of other high priority health interventions to control or prevent cholera outbreaks.... Reactive vaccination might be considered in view of limiting the extent of large prolonged outbreaks, provided the local infrastructure allows it, and an in-depth analysis of past cholera data and identification of a defined target area have been performed."

The WHO has now established a revolving stockpile of 2 million OCV doses. The plan is increase the size of this stockpile over the coming years with financial support of the GAVI Alliance.

YELLOW FEVER VACCINE

Yellow fever vaccine is a vaccine used against yellow fever.

The vaccine consists of a live, but attenuated, strain of the yellow fever virus called 17D. The 17D vaccine has been used commercially since the 1950s. The mechanisms of attenuation and immunogenicity for the 17D strain are not known. However, this vaccine is very safe, with few adverse reactions having been reported and millions of doses administered, and highly effective with over 90% of vaccinees developing a measurable immune response after the first dose.

In 2013, the World Health Organization concluded, "a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer life-long immunity against yellow fever disease."It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.

TYPHOID VACCINE

Typhoid vaccines are vaccines developed to prevent typhoid fever.

There are two effective types:

Ty21a, which is a live vaccine given orally. Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccine, which is an injectable subunit vaccine. Ty21a is licensed for use from age six years and older. Boosters are recommended every 5 years. The Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccine is licensed for use from age two years and older, and boosters are required every three years.

Almroth Edward Wright developed an effective inactivated whole-cell typhoid vaccine that was introduced in 1896. Due to side-effects its usage was eventually discontinued.

An experimental vaccine called Vi-rEPA has showed promising results in trials so far, indicating higher effectiveness and longer immunity. However, it has yet to be licensed for use.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.

RABIES VACCINE

Rabies vaccine is a vaccine used to control rabies. Rabies can be prevented by vaccination, both in humans and other animals. It is unusual in that it is effective even when injected after infection by the virus, which usually is noticed. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.

The human diploid cell rabies vaccine (H.D.C.V.) was started in 1967. Human diploid cell rabies vaccines are inactivated vaccines made using the attenuated Pitman-Moore L503 strain of the virus.Human diploid cell rabies vaccines have been given to more than 1.5 million people as of 2006.

Aside from vaccinating humans, another approach was also developed by vaccinating dogs to prevent the spread of the virus. In 1979 the Van Houweling Research Laboratory of the Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete in the Philippines, then headed by Dr. George Beran, developed and produced a dog vaccine that gave a three-year immunity from rabies. The development of the vaccine resulted in the elimination of rabies in many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao Islands. The successful program in the Philippines was later used as a model by other countries, such as Ecuador and the Yucatan State of Mexico, in their fight against rabies conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

In addition to these developments, newer and less expensive purified chicken embryo cell vaccine, and purified Vero cell rabies vaccine are now available. The purified Vero cell rabies vaccine uses the attenuated Wistar strain of the rabies virus, and uses the Vero cell line as its host