Awareness of the importance of vaccination has been brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is important that all children and babies are fully immunised to protect them from potentially serious diseases. Once common illnesses, such as diphtheria and tetanus, are now rare in the UK because of immunisation. But while polio has been eliminated in Europe, the threat of other diseases, such as measles and meningitis, has not gone away in the UK today.
Parents with worries or queries about any aspect of their child's immunisations should discuss them with their Doctor, Health Visitor, Practice Nurse or School Nurse.
Immunisation is a lifelong event and adults also benefit from immunisation. It is important that adults have had all of their routine childhood immunisations.
Some people will need additional immunisations as they are at increased risk due to their age or health condition, or to protect their health in work or if travelling. For those at increased risk to complications of influenza, the annual flu vaccine is recommended. A Pneumococcal vaccine is also recommended to help protect people at increased risk of pneumococcal disease.
We have also faced the unprecedented challenges of delivering one of the swiftest and most comprehensive vaccination programmes in delivering the COVID-19 vaccines and it is important that all those who are eligible to get vaccinated do so when they are invited.
The Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme (VPDP) of Public Health Wales was established in July 2005. It draws on support from a variety of existing partners across NHS Wales and beyond to support a national approach to Immunisations and vaccinations.
To contact the Programme Team please email us at: phw.vaccines@wales.nhs.uk