Belgium : 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
BirthMonthsYears
234612155-710121314-161819646585≥ 86
rotavirus infection
ROTA
ROTA
ROTA3
diphtheria
D
D
D
D
D
d
d4
tetanus
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT4
pertussis
acP
acP
acP
acP
acP
acp
acp4
poliomyelitis
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV5
Haemophilus influenzae type b infection
Hib
Hib
Hib
Hib
hepatitis B
HepB6
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB7
pneumococcal disease1
PCV
PCV
PCV
PCV138
PCV139
meningococcal disease
MenC
measles
MEAS
MEAS
MEAS
MEAS
mumps
MUMPS
MUMPS
MUMPS
MUMPS
rubella
RUBE
RUBE
RUBE
RUBE
varicella
VAR10
human papillomavirus infection
HPV11
influenza2
IIV312
IIV3
hepatitis A
HepA13

Version:


Footnotes:

  1. For additional information on pneumoccal vaccination please refer to https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/fiche-9746-vaccination-contre-le-pneumocoque-enfants-et-adolescents
  2. For additional information on specific recommendations for annual influenza vaccination please refer to https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-9625-vaccination-grippe-saisonniere-saison-hivernale-2021-2022
  3. 3rd dose only for pentavalent rotavirus vaccines
  4. One dose of dTTaP every 10 years for adults after receiving the childhood immunisation schedule. Vaccination of expectant mothers during every pregnancy with a pertussis-containing vaccine in week 24 to week 32 of pregnancy
  5. A supplementary polio revaccination is mandatory (or strongly recommended according to the countries) for travelers (of all ages) staying longer than 4 weeks in countries infected by wild poliovirus or circulating vaccine derived poliovirus (cVDPV) with potential risk of international spread. These recommendations follow the statement of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the international spread of poliovirus, and they are regularly adjusted to this statement. The revaccination consists of 1 dose of the vaccine administered between 4 weeks and 12 months before the traveler leaves the concerned countries. For detailed information: see: https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/css_9208b_polio_adultes.pdf and Institute of Tropical Medicine: Travel Medicine - Tropical and Import Pathology: http://www.itg.be/E/Article/additional-polio-vaccination
  6. Babies born to a mother infected with hepatitis B will be offered a dose at birth simultaneously with HB immunoglobulin
  7. Vaccination of specific risk groups (see detailed information http://www.health.belgium.be/eportal/Aboutus/relatedinstitutions/SuperiorHealthCouncil/domains/vaccination/index.htm?fodnlang=fr#.VOr0BvnF-QA )
  8. Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended in healthy adults from 65 to 85 years, in adults with comorbidity from 50 to 85 years, and in adults with an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal infection from 19 to 85 years. These target patients (comorbidity and adults with an increased risk of IPD) are specifically identified in the corresponding recommendations (https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-9210-vaccination-antipneumococcique-adultes-fiche). Vaccine schedule for complete primo-vaccination: a single dose of PCV13, followed by PPSV23 after at least 8 weeks. If vaccination in the past with PPSV23, a single dose of PCV13 at least one year after the last PPSV23 vaccine. Booster vaccination with PPSV23 every 5 years is recommended for adults with an increased risk of IPD. Indication for a booster vaccination for the other adult risk groups should be evaluated based on the latest evidence-based data and epidemiology.
  9. Adults over 85 years: : indication for pneumococcal vaccination should be decided on an individual basis, taking into account the individual risk of pneumococcal infection and the expected/estimated immune response to the vaccine. The vaccine schedule is the same as that recommended for the other adult target groups (https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-9210-vaccination-antipneumococcique-adultes-fiche).
  10. For healthy susceptible close household contacts of immunocompromised patients and healthcare workers. For adolescents and adults with no antecedents of varicella (after serological testing). Two doses of varicella vaccine, four to eight weeks apart.
  11. Girls-only vaccination offered at 12-13 years of age in the Flanders. Gender-neutral vaccination offered at 13-14 years of age in the French-speaking Community (from September 2019) Two-dose schedule at 0 and 6 months.
  12. For individuals with certain medical conditions or a weakened immune system, which may put them at risk of complications from influenza (from 6 months and over). For pregnant women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy at the time of the influenza season. For healthcare workers. For institutionnalised persons. For persons living under the same roof as individual at risk of complications from influenza (including pregnant women, institutionnalised persons and people aged 65 years and over) en children less than 6 months. See detailed information: http://www.health.belgium.be/internet2Prd/groups/public/@public/@shc/documents/ie2divers/19104453.pdf Since 2016 a live attenuated quadrivalent influenza vaccine and a quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine are available, but no specific recommendation for their use has been formulated.
  13. For specific risk groups (see detailed information http://www.health.belgium.be/eportal/Aboutus/relatedinstitutions/SuperiorHealthCouncil/domains/vaccination/index.htm?fodnlang=fr#.VOr0BvnF-QA )


More information available at:
http://www.zorg-en-gezondheid.be/basisvaccinatieschema/ http://www.vaccination-info.be/ https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/vaccination



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The Belgian Superior Health Council (SHC) gives a scientific recommendation on the immunization schedule as presented in this summary table.
https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/vaccination
The community governments are responsible for the implementation, organization and promotion of the recommended vaccination programs, and are in charge of purchasing most of the traditional infant and adolescent vaccines.
It should be noted that although Rotavirus vaccination is recommended, it is not implemented in the vaccination programs of the community governments.

HPV vaccination is implemented in the vaccination programme of the community governments, in Flanders since September 2010 and in Wallonia-Brussels since September 2011. This programme is directed to one birth cohort of girls.

Pertussis vaccination is proposed for free - in Flanders to all pregnant women and to other adults (at the time of the dTT booster) since 1 July 2014 - in Wallonia to all pregnant women since 1 January 2015.

Specific information on the vaccination programme for Flanders: http://www.zorg-en-gezondheid.be/basisvaccinatieschema/
Specific information on the vaccination programme for Wallonia-Brussels: https://www.e-vax.be/welkom.do and http://www.vaccination-info.be/

Specific information on catch-up vaccination: https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/vaccination#Autres%20fiches%20de%20vaccination

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Specific comments re. specific vaccination

2019 - MMR vaccination. Age of second dose advanced to 7-9 years (11-13 years before)

2019 - Meningococcal vaccination. In the general vaccination schedule, the MenC vaccination at 15 months of age is replaced by a dose of a conjugated meningococcal serogroup ACWY vaccine and an additional dose a conjugated meningococcal serogroup ACWY vaccine is scheduled at the age of 14-16 at the time of the dTap vaccine in adolescents.
By March 2021, this recommendation was not yet integrated in the current vaccination programs in Flanders and in Wallonia/Brussels.


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Date of last update: 08 February 2024
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