Routine Vaccines for Babies and Children

As parents, our first job is to protect our children. Every mother and father have an obligation and right to learn about measures that can be adopted to protect our children from injury, disease or pain. One of the safest and most effective ways that we can offer vaccines, which protect babies and children from diseases that may potentially cause tremendous suffering, severe disability and even death.

The routine vaccine program for babies and children is designed to provide broad protection from these diseases on the earliest possible date. The vaccines prevent diseases from early childhood, some of which provide protection even as adults. Some of the vaccines provide life-long protection, and some will require booster shots to maintain the high level of protection.

Routine vaccines are administered in the Family Health Center and later in schools, free of charge. In addition, there are other vaccines that are recommended and administered in the HMO, some of them for a cost.

How vaccines work

Vaccines cause the formation of antibodies in the body, similar to the body’s response to disease, where each disease has its own vaccine. The vaccine simulates the infection. The simulation does not cause the disease itself but does trigger the immune system to create memory cells and antibodies that will act against it if necessary. Occasionally, following the administration of the vaccine, the simulated infection may cause the onset of mild symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are a normal phenomenon that can be expected when the body is building immunity. Once the simulated infection disappears, the body remains with the memory cells that will remember how to fight the disease in the future in the event of exposure. It is important to know that following a vaccine, it generally takes the body 10 days to produce antibodies.

Routine vaccines administered in the Family Health Center

• Hepatitis B vaccine: the first dose of the vaccine is administered in the neonatal unit within the first 12 hours of birth. The baby will receive the second dose in the Family Health Center at the age of one month, and the third dose at the age of six months.
• 5-in-1 vaccine – against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and haemophilus influenza B: administered at the age of two months, 4 months, six months and one year (combination vaccine in one injection).
  Today, due to the outbreak of polio and whooping cough, the first dose of the 5-in-1 vaccine is now being administered at 6 weeks of age.
• Vaccination against rotavirus: administered at the age of 4 months and six months.
• Vaccination against pneumococcus: administered at the age of two months, 4 months and one year.
• Live-attenuated vaccine against polio: administered at the age of six months and one-and-a-half years. Due to the outbreak of polio, the first dose of the vaccine is now being administered at the age of 4 months and the second dose at six months.
• 4-in-1 Vaccine (MMRV) – against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella: administered at the age of one year (combination vaccine in one injection).
• Hepatitis A vaccine: the first dose is administered at the age of one-and-a-half years of age, the second dose at least 6 months after the first dose, largely between the age of two and two-and-a-half years of age.

Routine vaccines and booster shots administered in school

• MMRV (4-in-1 Vaccine) – against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella: the second dose of the 4-in-1 vaccine is administered in the first grade.
• Vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio: the fifth dose of these vaccines are administered in the second grade (combination vaccine in one injection).
• Influenza vaccine: administered in the second, third and fourth grade.
• Vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough: the sixth dose of these vaccines are administered in the eighth grade (combination vaccine in one injection).
• Papilloma vaccine: administered in the eighth grade, in 2 doses.

The vaccination schedule may change according to the Ministry of Health guidelines.

Additional recommended vaccines that can be administered in the HMO

In addition to the routine vaccines that are administered in the Family Health Center, there are recommended vaccines that are administered in the HMO:

• Vaccine against meningococcal B (Bexsero): the meningococcus B bacteria can cause meningitis, infection of the blood or other invasive infections. The vaccine can be administered from the age of two months in the HMO since the vaccine is not included in the health services basket, incurs a fee but if you have supplementary insurance, it may be subsidized.
• Influenza vaccine: every year, a vaccine is created for 4 strains of influenza that are expected to be the most common strains that year. The flu vaccine arrives at the HMO ever year between September-October, slightly before flu season, and is administered until the end of winter. The flu vaccine can also be administered from the age of 6 months, free of charge.
• COVID-19 vaccine: the COVID-19 vaccine can be given from the age of six months in the HMO.

The importance of vaccinating on the recommended date

The vaccines are administered at the earliest possible date to protect babies and children from infectious diseases, some of which are serious. Any delay in the administration of the vaccines leaves the baby or infant unprotected and vulnerable to infection if exposed to pathogens of these diseases. In addition, there must be a minimum interval between administration of the dosses of the vaccine. Any delay in the administration of one dose of a certain vaccine will affect the scheduling of the administration of the next dose of that vaccine and even the date on which the other vaccines are received. If you are not vaccinated on the recommended date, it is important to complete the vaccinations as soon as possible.

Circumstances that require a postponement of vaccination

• If your baby is not feeling well before the vaccination – it is important that you inform the Family Health Clinic nurse, who will exercise discretion on whether to administer the vaccine on time or to postpone it.
• If the baby has a fever or an acute infectious disease – the vaccination will be postponed until the baby has fully recovered.
• If the baby is suffering from a mild illness with no fever or a low-grade fever (under 38 degrees), such as mild upper respiratory tract infection, mild diarrhea or local infection – the nurse will review the information and the vaccine may still be administered on schedule.

Special circumstances where the vaccine should not be administered (“contraindication”)

• If there was any previous acute reaction to the same vaccine or to one of its ingredients.
• Any hypersensitivity such as anaphylaxis to any of the vaccine’s ingredients.
• If the baby is severely immunocompromised, depending on the type of vaccine.

Under these circumstances, it is important to consult with the attending physician before receiving the vaccine.

Special circumstances that allow for the vaccination of infants

• Following exposure to an infectious disease.
• During treatment with antibiotics.
• During treatment with steroids at dosage that does not suppress the immune system. In this case, it is important to consult with the attending physician.
• Before surgery or after recovery from surgery.
• In cases of malnutrition.
• During a prolonged heart, lung, liver or kidney disease when the immune system is not impaired.
• If the allergic reaction to any of the ingredients of the vaccine is not severe, or in the case of the influenza vaccine, to the albumen.
• If another immediate relative suffered from an allergic reaction or side effects following a vaccine.

To alleviate the side effects, a preparation may be given to lower fever and alleviate pain. A clean cloth soaked in lukewarm water may be placed on the injection site. Avoid massaging the area.

On extremely rare occasions (1 per one million doses of vaccine) does the vaccine trigger an immediate anaphylactic allergic reaction. In most cases, such as reaction appears within minutes after the vaccine. Thus, the importance of waiting 15 minutes in the Family Health Center after receiving the vaccine.

More information about the side effects of the vaccine

More information on vaccines

Every vaccine that appears in the list above has a link to detailed information about the disease or diseases that it is protecting you from, about the location and method of administering the vaccine and of possible side effects. If you have any concern about the upcoming vaccine – click on the link and read. The more you know, the less concerns you have and the easier it will be to make decisions.