6. What difference does it make if my baby misses one or two appointments? Won’t the vaccines still work?

• To be fully immunised, your child needs all doses of all vaccines in the recommended schedule. If your child does not receive the full number of doses, he or she is at risk for serious diseases.
• This is why it is highly recommended to stay as close as possible to the recommended schedule.
• Until the entire vaccine series is received, the child will not have the maximum protection against the diseases.
• If a child is behind on the immunisation schedule, a vaccinator can determine the right catch-up schedule.
• An interruption in the schedule does not require a child to start the series over for any vaccines.

• I understand how hard it can be.
• The immunisation schedule has been designed so that each vaccine is given at the age that provides the best protection for children. They are scheduled so the infant will be protected when the protection transferred by the mother in the womb wears off. They are also scheduled for when each particular vaccine will work best, according to the tests done to see how well the vaccine works (before the vaccine is approved for public use, and sometimes again based on experience implementing the vaccine).
• Please try your best to bring the child for immunisation on time. The more days your child is eligible for immunisations but does not receive them, the more days s/he is at unnecessary risk for serious diseases.

• If you miss a scheduled immunisation, bring him/her to the next immunisation session to catch up.
• Every day that your child is late for an immunisation is another day that your child is at risk for a preventable disease.