Vaccine Scheduler
Ireland: Recommended vaccinations
| General recommendation | |
| Recommendation for specific groups only | |
| Catch-up (e.g. if previous doses missed) | |
| Vaccination not funded by the National Health system | |
| Mandatory vaccination |
| Months | Years | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 4-5 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 18-45 | 64 | ≥ 65 | ||
| Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) | COVID-193 | |||||||||||||
| rotavirus infection | ROTA | ROTA | ||||||||||||
| diphtheria | D | D | D | D | d4 | d5 | ||||||||
| tetanus | TT | TT | TT | TT | TT | TT5 | ||||||||
| pertussis | acP | acP | acP | acP | acp4 | acp5 | ||||||||
| poliomyelitis | IPV | IPV | IPV | IPV | ||||||||||
| Haemophilus influenzae type b infection | Hib | Hib | Hib | Hib6 | ||||||||||
| hepatitis B | HepB | HepB | HepB | |||||||||||
| pneumococcal disease1 | PCV13 | PCV13 | PCV13 | PPSV237 | PPSV238 | |||||||||
| meningococcal disease2 | MenB | MenB | MenC | MenB | MenC6 | MCV4 | ||||||||
| measles | MEAS | MEAS | ||||||||||||
| mumps | MUMPS | MUMPS | ||||||||||||
| rubella | RUBE | RUBE | ||||||||||||
| human papillomavirus infection | HPV9 (F/M) | |||||||||||||
| influenza | IIV4/LAIV9 | IIV410 | IIV411 | |||||||||||
Version:
Footnotes:
- Those with high risk conditions (as outlined in national guidance) from 24 months of age are recommended PCV13 and PPSV23. PPSV23 should be given at least two months after the PCV13 dose. A second dose of PPV23 may be indicated for some, at least 5 years after first dose. Depending on age and risk factors a person may require 1, 2 or 3 doses of PPVS23.
- For a full description of meningococcal C national guidance and vaccination policy, please refer to the corresponding chapter at https://www.rcpi.ie/Healthcare-Leadership/NIAC/Immunisation-Guidelines-for-Ireland
- For a full description of currently applicable COVID-19 recommendations, please refer to https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/covid19vaccineinfo4hps/covid19vaccineinfo4hps.html
- Booster dose
- Tdap - Vaccination for pregnant women between 16-36 weeks gestation.
- Hib/MenC combined vaccine
- Please refer to https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/adult/pneumo/#Who%20should%20be%20vaccinated%20with%20PPV23%20Pneumococcal%20vaccine? for a full listing of people in at-risk groups
- The vaccine is free of charge, but administration fees may be charged to patient (based on income and eligibility for free healthcare). Please refer to https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/adult/pneumo/#Who%20should%20be%20vaccinated%20with%20PPV23%20Pneumococcal%20vaccine? for a full listing of people in at-risk groups
- LAIV is recommended in children aged 2-17 year-old. https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/flu-vaccine-for-children/ https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/fluinfo/
- Flu vaccine is strongly recommended for pregnant women (vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy), adults and children aged 6 months and older with specific conditions. More information available at: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/flu-vaccine-for-people-with-long-term-conditions/
- The vaccine is free of charge, but administration fees may be charged to patient (based on income and eligibility for free healthcare)
More information available at:
http://www.immunisation.ie/ http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/
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Administration costs for the adult vaccines may have to be paid by recipient, especially if they are not covered by the medical card. (While having a card is usually income dependent, those with specific chronic medical condition may be entitled to free health care).
FUNDING OF THE VACCINATION PROGRAMME
- All the childhood/adolescent vaccines are free of charge (both for vaccine and administration costs)
- For vaccines recommended for adults, the vaccine is free but administration of vaccine may be charged to patient (which is based on income and eligibility for free health care)
MAJOR HISTORICAL CHANGES
1937: BCG first became available in the country
1930s: DT was introduced into national vaccination schedule
1949: BCG was introduced into national vaccination schedule
1952-1953: DTP was introduced into national vaccination schedule
1957: OPV was introduced into national vaccination schedule
1971: Rubella vaccine was introduced into national vaccination schedule for pre-pubertal girls (12-14 years of age)
1985: Measles vaccine was introduced into national vaccination schedule for children 15 months to 5 years of age
1988: The combined MMR vaccine was introduced into national vaccination schedule for children 15 months to 2 years of age and also for girls 10-14 years thereby replacing the rubella vaccine
1992: A second dose of MMR (MMR2) was recommended for all children at ages 10-14 years
1992: Hib was introduced into national vaccination schedule
1995: A measles and rubella vaccination campaign for primary school-age children was conducted for children aged 5 to 12 years
1999: The recommended age of MMR2 was lowered from 10-14 years to 4-5 years
2000: MenC was introduced into national vaccination schedule
2001: DTaP-Hib-IPV (pentavalent vaccine) was introduced into national vaccination schedule (IPV replaced OPV)
2002: The age of first MMR dose reduced to 12-15 months
2008: The age of first MMR dose reduced to 12 months
2008: From 1st September: Introduction of PCV7 into national vaccination schedule
2008: From 1st September: Introduction of Hepatitis B as the hexavalent vaccine (DTap - Hep B - Hib - IPV) replaced the pentavalent vaccine
(DTaP-Hib-IPV)
2008: From 1st September: Change in timing of MenC to be given at 13 months of age
2008: From 1st September: Change in timing of Hib vaccine (Hib) to be given at 13 months of age
2009: MMR catch-up campaign for students aged 15-18 years in response to large national mumps outbreak
2010: From May: HPV vaccination programme introduced for girls aged 12-13 years
2011: From September: HPV catch-up campaign for school going girls aged 18 years until end of 2013/2014
2011: From September: Introduction of Tdap adolescent booster (aged 12-13 years)
2012/2013: MMR catch-up campaign for all students (aged 12-18 years) in schools
2013/2014: MMR catch-up for students in primary school (aged 4-12 years) and first year of second level school (aged 12-13 years)
2013: From September: Tdap introduced for pregnant women between 27-36 weeks gestation
2014 (Aug): updated national guidance for HPV, MenC and Tdap routine vaccination. HPV starting as a 2-dose schedule from September 2014. MenC adolescent booster 1 dose schedule starting from September 2014. See latest expert committee guidance http://www.hse.ie/portal/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/immunisationguidelines.html for changes.
2015: MenC policy change. For a full description of meningococcal C national guidance that may affect policy and recommendations please refer to http://www.hse.ie/portal/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/immunisationguidelines.html. All children born on or after 1st July 2015 will be offered 2 doses of MenC for the primary programme at 4 months and 13 months and a booster dose of MenC in second level school (Age 12-13 years).
2016: Change of schedule for babies born ON or AFTER 1 October 2016. Meningococcal B and rotavirus vaccine added to the childhood immunisation schedule.
2020: LAIV recommended for children 2 to 17 years
2021: Flu recommended for adults 50 years and older
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Date of last update: 25 Jan. 2024
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