Check your child's red book to see if vaccinations are up to-date

The Public Health Agency (PHA) strongly recommends that babies and children are vaccinated according to the Routine Childhood Immunisations Schedule; and are urging parents to check their child’s red book to see if vaccinations are up-to-date.

Vaccination rates have seen a slight decrease over recent years and the additional disruption caused by the pandemic is likely to have caused some of the decreases in vaccine coverage. It is important vaccination coverage is improved as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of avoidable serious and sometimes deadly diseases such as measles and polio.

Louise Flanagan, consultant in public health at the PHA, said: “Many childhood diseases that were common in the UK prior to the introduction of vaccination such as measles or polio have been dramatically reduced or have disappeared altogether. However, once a disease fades from prominence, it is easy to forget how serious they could be. Unfortunately, unless vaccine uptake remains high in Northern Ireland, many deadly diseases will return from parts of the world where they still occur.”

The virtual eradication of these deadly illnesses here, is thanks to the fact that we are lucky to have a free, comprehensive vaccination programme in place.

Ms Flanagan continued: “If you are unsure if your child is up-to-date with vaccinations the easiest way to check is to look at your child’s red book or speak to your health visitor. If your child has missed a vaccination, please contact your GP practice to book an appointment.”

For more information see pha.site/immunisation-vaccinations-nidirect