When to get the first vaccinations, which vaccines protect against multiple infections at once, why booster doses are needed, and what to do if the schedule is disrupted, explained Nurshai Azimbayeva, head of the Immunoprophylaxis Center at the National Center for Public Health. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
"The national vaccination calendar in Kazakhstan is your guide to the vaccinations that need to be given to a child. Every parent needs to understand which vaccines and at what age should be received," she explained.
According to the doctor, after birth, a child is completely unprotected against infections such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B, and maternal antibodies for these infections are not transmitted to the baby. Therefore, it is very important to get vaccinated against these diseases immediately in the maternity hospital. This allows building immune protection in the child from the very beginning of life.
"From some infections, such as whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus, the baby is protected after birth by maternal antibodies, which disappear two to three months after birth. It is important to protect the child from two months of age," she says.
During this period, the child receives two vaccinations. The first is Hexaxim, a combined vaccine against six infections (whooping cough, tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, diphtheria, and hepatitis B). The second vaccine is Prevenar, given against pneumococcal infection, which often causes otitis media and pneumonia.
The doctor explains that for full immunity, repeated vaccinations are necessary. At three months of age, the child receives the Pentaxim vaccine. This is a combined five-component vaccine that provides protection against whooping cough, tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and diphtheria.
At four months, the child receives a repeat dose of Hexaxim and Prevenar. This reinforces protection against infections.
"Hexaxim and Pentaxim are modern combined vaccines manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur (France). They allow forming protection against several infections at once, thereby reducing the number of injections and stress for the child. The Prevenar vaccine is produced by Pfizer (USA)," says Azimbayeva.
At one year, the child receives the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, as well as the oral polio vaccine (OPV). At the same time, the baby receives a third dose of Prevenar against pneumococcal infection.
It is important to remember that OPV is recommended only after receiving Hexaxim and Pentaxim, which contain inactivated polio vaccine.
When the child turns one and a half years old, a booster dose of Pentaxim is given.
"Booster vaccination is necessary to strengthen and consolidate immunity. The final dose allows forming full and stable protection against infections," the doctor explains.
At 2 years of age, the child receives a vaccine against hepatitis A. This is an inactivated vaccine that is usually well tolerated. The speaker notes that a second dose is required for full protection, given six months after the first.
Before school, at 6 years old, the child receives a second dose of the MMR vaccine. They also receive DTaP against whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus.
"These vaccinations are repeated to strengthen and maintain the duration of immune protection," explains Azimbayeva.
At this age, girls are vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). A second dose of this vaccine is given six months later.
The doctor notes that this vaccine protects against oncological diseases caused by HPV infection, including cervical cancer.
"It should be noted that currently, HPV vaccination is also available for girls aged 14 to 17 years inclusive," she emphasizes.
At 16 years old, the Td vaccine is given. This is a vaccine against diphtheria and tetanus. Thereafter, this vaccination must be repeated every 10 years.
"If deadlines are missed, it does not mean that vaccination should no longer be done. In such cases, doctors create an individual schedule to catch up on missed vaccinations," says Azimbayeva.
Earlier, Kursiv collected fresh data on human papillomaviruses from leading medical journals: which HPVs are dangerous, how many people are infected in Kazakhstan, what myths exist on the topic, and why the vaccine is needed.