Child Immunisation & Vaccinations
In Singapore, every child is required to go through a series of compulsory immunisations from birth to the age of 10-11. The purpose of these vaccinations is to protect your child from infectious diseases by building his/her immunity towards infections that can easily be prevented.
Mandatory vaccinations are listed in the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule by the Ministry of Health, Singapore.
Newborn babies usually receive their very first vaccinations while they are still in the hospital, shortly after delivery. Upon discharge, you should bring your baby to the paediatrician for his/her first check-up where your PD will run through the immunisation schedule.
| Vaccine | Protects Against | No. of Doses and/or Boosters | When is Vaccination Administered |
| Compulsory Vaccines | |||
| Bacillus Calmette-Guerine (BCG) | Tuberculosis | 1 Dose |
|
| Hep B | Hepatitis B virus | 3 Doses |
|
| DTaP | Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough) | 3 Doses + 2 Boosters |
|
| Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) | Poliomyelitis | 3 Doses + 2 Boosters |
|
| Hib | Haemophilus Influenza Type B | 3 Doses + 1 Booster |
|
| Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) | Pneumococcal diseases (for e.g pneumonia, meningitis etc.) | 2-3 Doses + 1 Booster |
|
| MMR | Measles, Mumps, Rubella | 2 Doses |
|
| Recommended Vaccines | |||
| Varicella Vaccine* | Chickenpox | 2 Doses |
|
| Rotavirus Vaccine | Rotavirus (causes diarrhoea, vomiting, fever etc.) | 2 or 3 Doses (Depending on brand used) |
|
| Influenza Vaccine | Influenza | 2 Doses (for children 6 months-8 years old) |
|
| 1 Dose (for children 9 years old and above) |
|
||
| Hep A | Hepatitis A virus | 2 Doses |
|
| Meningococcal Vaccine | Meningococcal | Depends on brand & child’s age |
|
Compulsory Vaccines
Protects Against: Tuberculosis
No. of Doses: 1
When It Is Administered: At birthProtects Against: Hepatitis B virus
No. of doses: 3
When It Is Administered: At birth, 1 month, 5-6 monthsProtects Against: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough)
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 2 Boosters
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster), 10-11 years (Booster)Protects Against: Poliomyelitis
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 2 Boosters
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster), 10-11 years (Booster)Protects Against: Haemophilus Influenza Type B
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 1 Booster
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster)Protects Against: Pneumococcal diseases (for e.g pneumonia, meningitis etc.)
No. of doses: 2-3 Doses & 1 Booster
When It Is Administered: 6-8 weeks, 3 months, 5-6 months, 12 months (Booster)Protects Against: Measles, Mumps, Rubella
No. of doses: 2 Doses
When It Is Administered: 12 months, 15-18 monthsRecommended Vaccines
Protects Against: Chickenpox
No. of doses: 2 Doses
When It Is Administered: 12 months onwards, given 3 months apart
*The varicella vaccine can be taken together with the MMR vaccine in a combined MMRV vaccine to reduce the number of injections administered.Protects Against: Rotavirus (causes diarrhoea, vomiting, fever etc.)
No. of doses: 2 or 3 Doses
When It Is Administered: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months (if 3 doses are required)Protects Against: Influenza
No. of doses: 2 Doses (for children 6 months-8 years old) and 1 Dose (for children 9 years old and above)
When It Is Administered: 4-6 weeks apart (for children aged 6 months old to 8 years old). Subsequently, it can be administered annually but can be more comprehensively given every 6 months whenever strain changes.Protects Against: Hepatitis A virus
No. of doses: 2
When It Is Administered: 12 months onwards, 6 months apartProtects Against: Meningococcal
No. of doses: Depends on brand & child’s age
When It Is Administered: Depends on brand & child’s age*The varicella vaccine can be taken together with the MMR vaccine in a combined MMRV vaccine to reduce the number of injections administered.
Common Questions on Childhood Immunisation
The 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 vaccines are new childhood vaccinations that combine the vaccines for 5 and 6 diseases respectively.
The 5-in-1 injection combines the DTap, IPV and Hib vaccines into 1 injection whereas the 6-in-1 includes the Hep B vaccine in the 5-in-1 combination. The latter minimises the number of injections your child needs to take.
Yes. Childhood vaccines are claimable from the Baby Bonus. All our Kids Clinics are Baby Bonus approved which means you can use your CDA card to pay when you come to our clinics to get your child vaccinated.
After the vaccinations are administered, your baby might have some reactions. These are the 2 most common reactions and how you can manage them.
a) Fever
It typically can begin within 24-48 hours after administering the vaccine. Some other symptoms you might observe is your baby might not feed well or he/she is cranky. You can give your baby some paracetamol to bring the fever down.
For the MMR/MMRV vaccines, fever typically happens 5-7 days after the vaccine has been administered and your baby may also develop some rashes as well. The rash usually resolves on its own within 3-5 days.
b) Redness or Swelling at the Site of Vaccination
This happens to some babies. You can put an ice-pack over the vaccination site to help reduce the swelling and/or give some paracetamol to help with pain relief. The swelling typically settles within 48 hours.
For more information, you can visit Newborn Vaccinations
As the name indicates, travel vaccinations are recommended when travelling to certain countries/areas, and also dependent on the time of the year (seasonality).
Here’s a quick overview of the various vaccinations recommended when travelling overseas, according to WHO.
Last Updated: May 2020When Should Travel Vaccinations be Administered?
Parents are recommended to visit the paediatrician as soon as travel plans are made so that you can vaccinate your child around 1 to 2 months before departure. Most of the vaccinations take 2 weeks to be effective and some vaccines require more than 1 dose. Vaccinations may be given earlier or with an accelerated schedule too.
These are the travel vaccinations available at our Kids Clinic branches:
| Vaccine | Areas that Require this Vaccine | No. of Doses | Interval Between Vaccine Doses |
| Hep A | Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania | 2 Doses |
|
| Hep B | 3 Doses |
|
|
| Influenza | 1-2 Doses (depending on age) |
|
|
| Yellow Fever Vaccine | Africa, Central & South America | 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary) | — |
| Japanese Encephalitis (JE) | Asia, Central & South America, Oceania | 2 Doses |
|
| Typhoid Vaccine | Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Middle East, Oceania | 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary) |
|
| Meningococcal Vaccine | Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America | Depends on brand & child’s age | — |
Vaccine
Areas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 2 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: 6 monthsAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 3 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: At birth, 1 month, 5-6 monthsAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 1-2 Doses (depending on age)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: Annually, but can be more comprehensively given every 6 months whenever strain changesAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Central & South America
No. of Doses: 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: —Areas that Require this Vaccine: Asia, Central & South America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 2 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: Administered 7-28 days apart depending on ageAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Middle East, Oceania
No. of Doses: 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: 2 weeks before travelAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America
No. of Doses: Depends on brand & child’s age
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: —Please do note that our clinics require notice in advance to order the JE, yellow fever, typhoid and meningococcal vaccines.
In Singapore, every child is required to go through a series of compulsory immunisations from birth to the age of 10-11. The purpose of these vaccinations is to protect your child from infectious diseases by building his/her immunity towards infections that can easily be prevented.
Mandatory vaccinations are listed in the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule by the Ministry of Health, Singapore.
Newborn babies usually receive their very first vaccinations while they are still in the hospital, shortly after delivery. Upon discharge, you should bring your baby to the paediatrician for his/her first check-up where your PD will run through the immunisation schedule.
| Vaccine | Protects Against | No. of Doses and/or Boosters | When is Vaccination Administered |
| Compulsory Vaccines | |||
| Bacillus Calmette-Guerine (BCG) | Tuberculosis | 1 Dose |
|
| Hep B | Hepatitis B virus | 3 Doses |
|
| DTaP | Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough) | 3 Doses + 2 Boosters |
|
| Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) | Poliomyelitis | 3 Doses + 2 Boosters |
|
| Hib | Haemophilus Influenza Type B | 3 Doses + 1 Booster |
|
| Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) | Pneumococcal diseases (for e.g pneumonia, meningitis etc.) | 2-3 Doses + 1 Booster |
|
| MMR | Measles, Mumps, Rubella | 2 Doses |
|
| Recommended Vaccines | |||
| Varicella Vaccine* | Chickenpox | 2 Doses |
|
| Rotavirus Vaccine | Rotavirus (causes diarrhoea, vomiting, fever etc.) | 2 or 3 Doses (Depending on brand used) |
|
| Influenza Vaccine | Influenza | 2 Doses (for children 6 months-8 years old) |
|
| 1 Dose (for children 9 years old and above) |
|
||
| Hep A | Hepatitis A virus | 2 Doses |
|
| Meningococcal Vaccine | Meningococcal | Depends on brand & child's age |
|
Compulsory Vaccines
Protects Against: Tuberculosis
No. of Doses: 1
When It Is Administered: At birthProtects Against: Hepatitis B virus
No. of doses: 3
When It Is Administered: At birth, 1 month, 5-6 monthsProtects Against: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough)
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 2 Boosters
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster), 10-11 years (Booster)Protects Against: Poliomyelitis
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 2 Boosters
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster), 10-11 years (Booster)Protects Against: Haemophilus Influenza Type B
No. of doses: 3 Doses & 1 Booster
When It Is Administered: 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 18 months (Booster)Protects Against: Pneumococcal diseases (for e.g pneumonia, meningitis etc.)
No. of doses: 2-3 Doses & 1 Booster
When It Is Administered: 6-8 weeks, 3 months, 5-6 months, 12 months (Booster)Protects Against: Measles, Mumps, Rubella
No. of doses: 2 Doses
When It Is Administered: 12 months, 15-18 monthsRecommended Vaccines
Protects Against: Chickenpox
No. of doses: 2 Doses
When It Is Administered: 12 months onwards, given 3 months apart
*The varicella vaccine can be taken together with the MMR vaccine in a combined MMRV vaccine to reduce the number of injections administered.Protects Against: Rotavirus (causes diarrhoea, vomiting, fever etc.)
No. of doses: 2 or 3 Doses
When It Is Administered: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months (if 3 doses are required)Protects Against: Influenza
No. of doses: 2 Doses (for children 6 months-8 years old) and 1 Dose (for children 9 years old and above)
When It Is Administered: 4-6 weeks apart (for children aged 6 months old to 8 years old). Subsequently, it can be administered annually but can be more comprehensively given every 6 months whenever strain changes.Protects Against: Hepatitis A virus
No. of doses: 2
When It Is Administered: 12 months onwards, 6 months apartProtects Against: Meningococcal
No. of doses: Depends on brand & child's age
When It Is Administered: Depends on brand & child's age*The varicella vaccine can be taken together with the MMR vaccine in a combined MMRV vaccine to reduce the number of injections administered.
Common Questions on Childhood Immunisation
The 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 vaccines are new childhood vaccinations that combine the vaccines for 5 and 6 diseases respectively.
The 5-in-1 injection combines the DTap, IPV and Hib vaccines into 1 injection whereas the 6-in-1 includes the Hep B vaccine in the 5-in-1 combination. The latter minimises the number of injections your child needs to take.
Yes. Childhood vaccines are claimable from the Baby Bonus. All our Kids Clinics are Baby Bonus approved which means you can use your CDA card to pay when you come to our clinics to get your child vaccinated.
After the vaccinations are administered, your baby might have some reactions. These are the 2 most common reactions and how you can manage them.
a) Fever
It typically can begin within 24-48 hours after administering the vaccine. Some other symptoms you might observe is your baby might not feed well or he/she is cranky. You can give your baby some paracetamol to bring the fever down.
For the MMR/MMRV vaccines, fever typically happens 5-7 days after the vaccine has been administered and your baby may also develop some rashes as well. The rash usually resolves on its own within 3-5 days.
b) Redness or Swelling at the Site of Vaccination
This happens to some babies. You can put an ice-pack over the vaccination site to help reduce the swelling and/or give some paracetamol to help with pain relief. The swelling typically settles within 48 hours.
For more information, you can visit Newborn Vaccinations
As the name indicates, travel vaccinations are recommended when travelling to certain countries/areas, and also dependent on the time of the year (seasonality).
Here’s a quick overview of the various vaccinations recommended when travelling overseas, according to WHO.
Last Updated: May 2020When Should Travel Vaccinations be Administered?
Parents are recommended to visit the paediatrician as soon as travel plans are made so that you can vaccinate your child around 1 to 2 months before departure. Most of the vaccinations take 2 weeks to be effective and some vaccines require more than 1 dose. Vaccinations may be given earlier or with an accelerated schedule too.
These are the travel vaccinations available at our Kids Clinic branches:
| Vaccine | Areas that Require this Vaccine | No. of Doses | Interval Between Vaccine Doses |
| Hep A | Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania | 2 Doses |
|
| Hep B | 3 Doses |
|
|
| Influenza | 1-2 Doses (depending on age) |
|
|
| Yellow Fever Vaccine | Africa, Central & South America | 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary) | — |
| Japanese Encephalitis (JE) | Asia, Central & South America, Oceania | 2 Doses |
|
| Typhoid Vaccine | Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Middle East, Oceania | 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary) |
|
| Meningococcal Vaccine | Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America | Depends on brand & child's age | — |
Vaccine
Areas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 2 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: 6 monthsAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 3 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: At birth, 1 month, 5-6 monthsAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 1-2 Doses (depending on age)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: Annually, but can be more comprehensively given every 6 months whenever strain changesAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Central & South America
No. of Doses: 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: —Areas that Require this Vaccine: Asia, Central & South America, Oceania
No. of Doses: 2 Doses
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: Administered 7-28 days apart depending on ageAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Asia, Central & South America, Middle East, Oceania
No. of Doses: 1 Dose (Booster only if necessary)
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: 2 weeks before travelAreas that Require this Vaccine: Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America
No. of Doses: Depends on brand & child's age
Interval Between Vaccine Doses: —Please do note that our clinics require notice in advance to order the JE, yellow fever, typhoid and meningococcal vaccines.
