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
234612155-67-81012131416184560646585≥ 86
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)1
COVID-194
RSV
RSV5
RSV6
rotavirus infection
ROTA
ROTA
ROTA7
diphtheria
D
D
D
D
D
d
d8
tetanus
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT8
pertussis
acP
acP
acP
acP
acP
acp
acp8
poliomyelitis
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV9
Haemophilus influenzae type b infection
Hib
Hib
Hib
Hib
hepatitis B
HepB10
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB11
pneumococcal disease2
PCV13 or PCV 15
PCV13 or PCV 15
PCV13 or PCV 15
PCV2012
PCV2013
meningococcal disease
MCV414
MCV4
measles
MEAS
MEAS
mumps
MUMPS
MUMPS
rubella
RUBE
RUBE
varicella
VAR15
human papillomavirus infection
HPV (F/M)16
influenza3
IIV417
IIV4
herpes zoster
ZOS18
hepatitis A
HepA19

Version:


Footnotes:

  1. https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/covid-19-0
  2. For additional information on pneumoccal vaccination please refer to https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/fiche-9746-vaccination-contre-le-pneumocoque-enfants-et-adolescents
  3. 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
  4. https://www.info-coronavirus.be/fr/vaccination/
  5. Maternal vaccine expected for 2024-2025 season. Seasonal vaccination between 28-36 weeks of gestation being advice for all women with expected due date between September - end of March. More information available at: 2- https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/20230918_shc-9725_rsv_vaccination_adults_vweb_1.pdf
  6. Vaccine can be offered to all adults >60 years of age with comorbidities: https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/20230918_shc-9725_rsv_vaccination_adults_vweb_1.pdf Preliminary advice is also given in specific population groups such as pregnant women, with seasonal vaccination between 28-36 weeks of gestation being advice for all women with expected due date between September - end of March: https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/20231222_shc-9760_advice_rsv_children_vweb.pdf
  7. 3rd dose only for pentavalent rotavirus vaccines
  8. 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. dTTaP boosters are funded for all pregnant women nationally. However, these booster doses are only offered for free in other adults in Flanders region.
  9. 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
  10. Babies born to a mother infected with hepatitis B will be offered a dose at birth simultaneously with HB immunoglobulin
  11. Vaccination of specific risk groups (see detailed information https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-8816-vaccination-de-ladulte-contre-lhepatite-b-fiche)
  12. Preferred scheme: one of PCV20 for alternative schemes based on past pneumo vaccination refer to https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-9674-vaccination-antipneumococcique-adultes
  13. Preferred scheme: one of PCV20 for alternative schemes based on past pneumo vaccination refer to https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-9674-vaccination-antipneumococcique-adultes
  14. MenC provided free of charge but recommendation for MCV4 (costs not covered)
  15. 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.
  16. 9-valent gender-neutral (boys and girls) vaccination offered from fall 2019) Two-dose schedule at 0 and 6 months.
  17. 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. https://www.vaxinfopro.be/spip.php?rubrique28&lang=fr&retour=1
  18. https://www.health.belgium.be/sites/default/files/uploads/fields/fpshealth_theme_file/20220906_css-9684_herpes_zoster_vweb.pdf
  19. For specific risk groups (see detailed information https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/avis-8816-vaccination-de-ladulte-contre-lhepatite-b-fiche )


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



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date of last update: 08 February 2024
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------