In the later stages of pregnancy, the baby's room is almost ready. It's time to think about what needs to be done after the baby is born, including vaccinations! Parents, do you know what vaccinations newborn babies need to have after birth? When should they have their first jab? Paediatrician Dr. Wu Chun-ban answers for everyone!
When should a baby have their first jab?
Answer: Within 24 hours of birth, newborn babies will receive their first vaccination at the hospital where they are born, which is the first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine to prevent the Hepatitis B virus. Before leaving the hospital, they will also receive the BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis.
Dr. Wu Chun-bin, Paediatric Specialist
Following the baby's discharge from hospital, parents will need to decide whether to have their baby vaccinated with the government-provided "4-in-1" combination vaccine or the self-funded "6-in-1" combination vaccine. What are the differences between them? By when must this decision be made?
Parents must decide which combination vaccine to choose before their baby is born or within one and a half months of their birth at the latest.
As the government-provided vaccination programme is scheduled for a baby to receive the second dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine one month after birth, if parents opt for the privately funded Hexavalent vaccine, the baby will not need the second dose of the government-provided Hepatitis B vaccine at one month old. Instead, they can go to a private clinic to receive the Hexavalent vaccine between 6 to 8 weeks after birth. The Hexavalent vaccine includes Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis, and Inactivated Polio vaccines from the DTaP vaccine, along with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine.
Although the government also provides the hepatitis B vaccine, it is administered separately from the DTaP-IPV vaccine, meaning babies require more injections.
Q: The self-funded "Hexavalent" combination vaccine includes Haemophilus influenzae type b. What are the effects of this bacterium on infants and young children?
A: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is not the flu, but a bacterium that can cause serious invasive infections, primarily in children under five years old. Symptoms include respiratory infections such as sore throat, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Severe infections can lead to meningitis and can even be life-threatening.
The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocate for Hib prevention in infants and young children. Currently, countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia have incorporated Hib into their universal healthcare vaccination programmes, providing comprehensive protection for infants and young children.
If parents wish to vaccinate their babies against Haemophilus influenzae type b, they will need to go to a private doctor's clinic to do so, as the current government vaccination programme does not include this vaccine. If the six-in-one vaccine is chosen, it includes the four vaccines from the four-in-one, hepatitis B, and the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine administered together, resulting in a relatively lower total number of injections. This reduces the number of times babies are pricked, while also saving parents the inconvenience of taking their babies out, and reducing the risk of infection from going out.
Source: Oh! Pa Ma (25 January 2024): https://tinyurl.com/3sz6u43w
