“Vaccination “or “Immunisation” is a safe and effective way to help the body prevent or fight off certain diseases.
Because it will protect your child against diseases that can cause serious illness and even death.
Most family doctors now have a contract with the Health Board to provide the primary childhood immunisation programme free to babies. There the first protection your child will get is the 3-in-l against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough. In addition, the Hib and the Polio immunisation are given at the same time. During its lifetime the child will receive other immunisations.
A contagious disease is one that spreads through contact with an infected person.
When a person catches an illness, the bacteria or virus causing it must enter and become established in the body some time before the symptoms show. The time between contact with the disease and the actual onset of symptoms is known as the incubation period.