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You want to do what is best for your child. You know about the importance of car seats, stair gates and other ways to keep them safe. But, did you know that one of the best ways to protect them is to make sure they have all of their vaccinations at the time they are recommended to ensure the mostly timely protection.

Immunisations can save your child’s life: infectious diseases continue to cause significant harm to children across the world, with some even dying as a result - don’t let your child be one of them.

Vaccinations are very safe and effective: vaccines are only licensed for children after long and careful development and testing by researchers and doctors. Vaccines will involve some discomfort such as localised pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain, discomfort, and trauma of the diseases these vaccines protect against. Fever can be expected after any vaccination, but is more common with the Men B vaccine. Giving paracetamol with or soon after Men B vaccination – and not waiting for a fever to develop – will reduce the risk of your child having a fever. Serious side effects following vaccination, including severe allergic reactions, are very rare.

Immunisation protects others you care about: some babies are too young to receive certain vaccines, whilst others may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to existing conditions including severe allergies, weakened immune systems or other reasons. To help keep them safe until they can receive vaccinations themselves, it is important that you and any other children in your family are fully immunised. This not only protects you, but also helps prevent the spread of these diseases to other members of your immediate family, friends and other loved ones.

Click here for commons myths about vaccines.