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Children must be immunized early in life. Half of all deaths from whooping cough, a third of all cases of polio and a quarter of all deaths from measles occur in children under one year old.
It is essential that infants complete the full number of immunizations – otherwise the vaccines may not work.
To protect the child during the first year of life, the immunizations in the following chart are necessary. The immunizations are most effective if they are given at the ages specified, or as close to those ages as possible.
If for any reason a child has not had the full series of immunizations in the first year of life, it is extremely important to have the child fully immunized as soon as possible or during special National Immunization Days.
In some countries, additional vaccine doses, called 'booster shots', are offered after the first year of life. These shots make the vaccine protection even more effective.
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Immunization schedule for infants*
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| Age |
Immunizations to be given |
| At birth |
BCG**, polio and, in some countries, hepatitis B |
| 6 weeks |
DPT**, polio and, in some countries, hepatitis B and Hib |
| 10 weeks |
DPT, polio and, in some countries, hepatitis B and Hib |
| 14 weeks |
DPT, polio and, in some countries, hepatitis B and Hib |
| 9 months |
Measles (12-15 months in industrialized countries) and, in some countries, yellow fever, mumps and rubella |
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*National immunization schedules may differ slightly from country to country.
**BCG offers partial protection against some forms of tuberculosis and leprosy; DPT protects against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus.
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