Immunisations
Vaccines for your child
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect your child against certain diseases. These diseases can cause serious illness or even death.
How vaccines work
When your child is given a vaccine, their immune system makes antibodies. These antibodies remain in the body. Antibodies are special proteins produced by your body to help it fight off infection
If your child comes in contact with an infection in the future, the antibodies stop them from getting sick.
Vaccine safety
As a parent, you might not like the fact that your child has to get an injection.
But vaccinations:
- are quick, safe and effective
- protect your child from disease
- help your child to fight diseases
If you do not vaccinate your child, there is a chance they could become very ill, or even die.
Be ready with a feed or a hug for your child and the vaccination will be forgotten soon afterwards.
Talk to your GP, your GP practice nurse, or your public health nurse (PHN) if you have any questions
Learn more:
Immunisations Schedule
Age to Vaccinate |
Type of Vaccination |
| At 2 Months
Free from your GP |
6 in 1 Vaccine (Diphtheria Tetanus Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Hib (Haemophilus influenzae b) Polio (Inactivated poliomyelitis) Hepatitis B)
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) MenB Vaccine (Meningococcal B Vaccine) Rotavirus oral vaccine |
| At 4 Months
Free from your GP |
6 in 1 Vaccine (Diphtheria Tetanus Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Hib (Haemophilus influenzae typeb) Polio (Inactivated poliomyelitis) Hepatitis B)
MenB Vaccine (Meningococcal B Vaccine) Rotavirus oral vaccine |
| At 6 Months
Free from your GP |
6 in 1 Vaccine (Diphtheria Tetanus Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Hib (Haemophilus influenzae b) Polio (Inactivated poliomyelitis) Hepatitis B)
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) MenC Vaccine (Meningococcal C Vaccine) |
| At 12 Months
Free from your GP |
MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella)
MenB Vaccine (Meningococcal B Vaccine) |
| At 13 Months
Free from your GP |
Hib/MenC (Haemophilus influenzae b and Meningococcal C combined vaccine)
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) |
Measles
Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children, pregnant women and people with a weak immune system.
Measles Is Very Contagious.
Get safe and long-lasting protection against measles by making sure that you and your family have had the two recommended doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Talk to your doctor or HSE healthcare worker about getting your free catch-up MMR vaccine.
Think Measles poster available is in 14 languages – English, Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, Dari , French, Georgian, Urdu, Pashto, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Somali, Ukrainian
Further information about measles and MMR vaccination is available at https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/measles/