Immunisation Awareness
You have probably never had diphtheria or tetanus. Most likely, you don't know anyone who has had these diseases either. Other diseases, such as whooping cough (pertussis), measles and rubella (German measles) are now uncommon. This is mainly because of immunisation.
Diseases such as diphtheria and tetanus killed many people in the UK in the early 20th century before effective vaccines were introduced. These days, most people will have been vaccinated against diphtheria. If they are exposed to the diphtheria bacteria (germ) after vaccination their body can fight off the disease so quickly that they are unaware they have even been in contact with the infection.
This section of our website explains how vaccines work, and why they are important. It outlines the UK Childhood Vaccination Programme, explains how to get yourself and your children immunised against major diseases, and provides contact details for organisations that provide further support and information.
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines use your body's natural defence system, which can learn how to kill almost any disease-causing germ, or microbe, that attacks it. Once your body's defence system (sometimes called the body's immune system) has learned how to get rid of an infection it remembers how to protect itself from that infection for a long time afterwards. Without the immune system, the simplest illness - even the common cold could quickly turn deadly.
Usually your body's immune system takes more than a week to learn how to fight off an infection that it has not come across before. Sometimes that isn't quick enough, and stronger infections can spread through your body faster than the immune system can fight them off. The immune system often wins in the end, after a few weeks, but while this is going on you will feel very unwell.
Some infections are so powerful that they can overwhelm your body's natural defences. In those situations, vaccines can make all the difference. Vaccines contain either parts of or whole microbes that have been killed or weakened so they don't cause disease. When your immune system meets these harmless versions of the germs, it quickly clears them from your body and develops immunity to any further attacks from the real infection.
Why do we need vaccines?
Before vaccines, the only way to become immune to a disease was to actually get it and, with luck, survive it. As well as suffering the symptoms of the disease and also the risk of complications, which can be quite serious or even deadly, you may be contagious and pass the disease on to family members, friends, or others who come into contact with you.
Vaccines are an easier and less risky way to become immune. Vaccines are one of the few medicines that prevent a disease from occurring in the first place, rather than attempting a cure after it has occurred. If your body's immune system has been prepared by previous vaccination it can nip an illness in the bud. Also, you will not be able to pass the disease onto others. In the same way when other people are vaccinated, they are less likely to give the disease to you. So vaccines protect not only you, but everyone around you.
UK Childhood Vaccination Programme
All children in Britain are offered free immunisation against a number of potentially serious diseases. The table shows when these vaccinations are offered and how many doses are needed.
| Child’s Age | Vaccinations |
| 2 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib, and Pneumococcal (meningitis) |
| 3 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib, and Meningitis C |
| 4 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib, Meningitis C and Pneumococcal (meningitis) |
| 12 months | Hib and Meningitis C (Booster) |
| 13 months | Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and Pneumococcal (meningitis) |
| 4-6 years | Diphtheria, tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (Pre School Booster), and Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) |
| 13-18 years | Diphtheria, tetanus, polio (School Leavers) |
How do I get my child immunised?
All parents automatically receive invitations to take their baby or child to their GP practice to be immunised. It is important that you attend, so that your child can be protected against these diseases as soon as possible.
If you think your child has missed some vaccines, ask your GP. They can tell you if doses have been missed and if anything needs to be done.
Fever following vaccination
Some infants develop a mild fever following vaccination. For infants of 2 months and older, Calpol Infant Suspension can be given to treat a post-vaccination fever; this contains paracetamol, which lowers the temperature and eases pain. Click here to see the range of children’s medicines available from Pharmacy2U.
We also sell the Calpol Digital Ear Thermometer, one of the most accurate ways to take your baby’s temperature and identify a fever. Click here to see more details.
Some important vaccines
Vaccines are not just for children. Older people and certain other groups can be at increased risk of infection as well. See below for important information about some of the vaccines that are available. For further information on these vaccines and others, please visit the NHS immunisation website. (http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/)
Pneumococcal vaccine
The pneumococcal microbe causes a broad range of disease in very young and older people, including:
Each year about 550 children will be seriously affected by pneumococcal infection in the UK. 50 of these will die.
Two in every 1,000 people aged over 65 are admitted to hospital because of pneumococcal infection each year.
Four in every 1,000 people aged over 80 are admitted to hospital because of pneumococcal infection each year.
From September 2006, a pneumococcal vaccine has been introduced into the childhood immunisation programme. This vaccine has been available in the USA since 2000. The number of cases of serious pneumococcal disease in young children has dropped by over 90 per cent in the USA, due to the effects of the vaccine.
A different pneumococcal vaccine is already available for older people. People aged over 65 should have just one pneumococcal vaccine, but some people with medical conditions need to have a booster every five years. The vaccine is available free of charge from your GP.
MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine
Recent years have seen an increase in mumps, particularly in young people aged between 13-24 years of age, because the vaccine used at that time did not contain the mumps component. However, the MMR vaccine, introduced in 1988, now includes vaccination against mumps. Unfortunately, controversy over MMR vaccination has lead to a decrease in immunisation for young children for measles, mumps and rubella. Your child is at risk from contracting these diseases if not immunized.
Measles can kill. There were large outbreaks of measles in the UK in 2006, with at least one death. If your child is not protected against rubella, they could pass the disease on to a pregnant woman. Rubella is a dangerous infection for pregnant women and can cause serious malformations in babies, particularly if the mother contracts the disease in the early stages of pregnancy. If you have any concerns about the MMR vaccine, please speak to your GP or health visitor or visit the MMR The Facts website. (http://www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/)
Influenza (flu) vaccine
Influenza (flu) is a respiratory disease, a lot more serious than a common cold. Symptoms include headache, high fever, cough, sore throat and severely aching muscles and joints. For most people influenza infection is just a nasty experience, but for some it can lead to illnesses that are more serious. The most common complications of influenza are bronchitis (chest infection) and pneumonia. These illnesses may require treatment in hospital and can be life threatening especially in the elderly, asthmatics and those in poor health.
Each year influenza immunisation is offered to people aged over 65 years or those of any age who have a medical condition that places them in one of the at risk groups.
Do I need a free Influenza (flu) vaccine?
If you fall into one of the groups listed below, your GP may be able to offer you a free flu jab in the autumn.
Vaccination must be repeated each winter, because the influenza virus changes each year.
Prescription Dispensing
If you are given a prescription by your doctor, you can take this to your local pharmacy to be dispensed, or you can send it to Pharmacy2U for dispensing and free delivery of your dispensed medicines to your home or office (UK only). Click here for more details about our prescription dispensing services, and how to get in touch with our pharmacy team if you have any questions.
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All content of this web site is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice; rather it is designed to support, not replace, the relationship between you and your healthcare providers. You should make sure that you carefully read all product packaging and labels prior to use. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor. Please consult your doctor before taking any new product, particularly if you are already under medical care. For more information view our Terms & Conditions © Pharmacy2U Ltd 2000 - 2007.
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