A vaccination schedule is a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses, which may be either recommended or compulsory, depending on the country of residence. A vaccine is an antigenic preparation used to produce active immunity to a disease, in order to prevent or reduce the effects of infection by any natural or "wild" pathogen. Many vaccines require multiple doses for maximum effectiveness, either to produce sufficient initial immune response or to boost response that fades over time. For example, tetanus vaccine boosters are often recommended every 10 years. Vaccine schedules are developed by governmental agencies or physicians groups to achieve maximum effectiveness using required and recommended vaccines for a locality while minimizing the number of health care system interactions. Over the past two decades, the recommended vaccination schedule has grown rapidly and become more complicated as many new vaccines have been developed. Some vaccines are recommended only in certain areas where a disease is common. For instance, yellow fever vaccination is on the routine vaccine schedule of French Guiana, is recommended in certain regions of Brazil but in the United States is only given to travelers heading to countries with a history of the disease. In developing countries, vaccine recommendations also take into account the level of health care access, the cost of vaccines and issues with vaccine availability and storage. Sample vaccination schedules discussed by the World Health Organization show a developed country using a schedule which extends over the first five years of a child's life and uses vaccines which cost over $700 including administration costs while a developing country uses a schedule providing vaccines in the first 9 months of life and costing only $25. This difference is due to the lower cost of health care, the lower cost of many vaccines provided to developing nations, and that more expensive vaccines, often for less common diseases, are not utilized.
Worldwide
The World Health Organization monitors vaccination schedules across the world, noting what vaccines are included in each country's program, the coverage rates achieved and various auditing measures. The table below shows the types of vaccines given in example countries. The WHO publishes on its website current vaccination schedules for all WHO member states. Additional vaccines are given to individuals more likely to come into contact with specific diseases through work or travel, or after potentially infectious exposure. Examples include rabies, anthrax, cholera and smallpox.
In Hong Kong, Department of Health is responsible for providing free vaccinations from newborns up to primary school students.
India
In India, the standard vaccination schedule is recommended by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. The latest schedule was the one given in 2016.
Italy
Japan
The vaccination schedule in Japan is defined and partially recommended by and its related . By the combined laws, infections are categorized into two groups: Category A is recommended for vaccination to prevent pandemic whereas Category B is only for a personal care purpose. As of January 2020, fourteen infections are Category A diseases and two are Category B on the legal lists. The Act and the Order were enacted for mandatory vaccination in 1948 with punitive clauses, only the clauses were repealed in 1976 and eventually vaccination has become non-mandatory since 1994. Only in the legal term in Japan, citizens get old one day before their birthdays. If a person was born on January 1, 2020 and Immunization Act specifies vaccine against measles could be received from age 12 months to 24 months, vaccination shall be practiced between December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021 Some vaccinations are scheduled in line with the school year system, which starts from April 1 in Japan. As explained, those who born on April 1 and on April 2 get old legally on March 31 and April 1, respectively. Thus, these two people are in different school years and thereby they may take vaccines in different calendar years.
New Zealand
;History Major additions, replacements and removals from the New Zealand Immunization Schedule include:
The United Kingdom childhood vaccination schedule is recommended by the Department of Health and National Health Service, and uses combination immunisations where available.
Non-routine vaccinations
Some children may receive vaccines in addition to those listed in the table:
BCG vaccine is given at birth "to babies who are more likely to come into contact with Tuberculosis than the general population."
Hepatitis B vaccine is given at birth "to babies whose mothers are hepatitis B positive."
Adult vaccinations
The five scheduled childhood tetanus vaccinations are thought to generally confer lifelong immunity; thus, no routine booster doses are given in adulthood. Those adults at risk of contaminated cuts may have booster tetanus vaccination every ten years. ! style=text-align:left | Pneumococcus vaccinations are recommended for those over 65 and for people without a functional spleen, either because the spleen has been removed or does not work properly. Also, current CDC guidelines recommend that if not previously vaccinated, administer PCV13 first and give PPSV23 6–12nths after, but if previously received PPSV23, administer PCV13 12+nths after ! style=text-align:left | Flu vaccine is recommended for anyone who is aged 65 years and over, people with certain long-term medical conditions, health and social care professionals and poultry workers.
The CDC recommends pregnant women receive some vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine a month or more before pregnancy. The Tdap vaccine is recommended during pregnancy. Other vaccines, like the flu shot, can be given before or during pregnancy, depending on whether or not it is flu season. Vaccination is safe right after giving birth, even while breastfeeding.
History
In 1900, the smallpox vaccine was the only one administered to children. By the early 1950s, children routinely received three vaccines, for protection against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and smallpox, and as many as five shots by two years of age. Since the mid-1980s, many vaccines have been added to the schedule. In 2009 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended vaccination against at least fourteen diseases. By two years of age, U.S. children receive as many as 24 vaccine injections, and might receive up to five shots during one visit to the doctor. The use of combination vaccine products means that,, the United Kingdom's immunization program consists of 9 injections by the age of two, rather than 22 if vaccination for each disease was given as a separate injection.
