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Proper immunisation means initial vaccination and subsequent booster doses over a set period of time – see the easy-to-follow guide below.
| Age | BCG | OPV | DPT | Hib | Hep BV | Measles/MMR | DT | Td |
| Birth | BCG | OPV 0 | ||||||
| 6 weeks | OPV 1 | DPT 1 | Hib 1 | Hep BV 1 | ||||
| 10 weeks | OPV 2 | DPT 2 | Hib 2 | Hep BV 2 | ||||
| 14 weeks | OPV 3 | DPT 3 | Hib 3 | Hep BV 3 | ||||
| 9 months | Measles 1 | |||||||
| 15 months | MMR (optional) | |||||||
| 18 months | OPV 4 | DPT 4 | Measles 2 (or MMR) | |||||
| 5 years | OPV 5 | DT | ||||||
| 6 years | Td | |||||||
| 12 years | Td booster |
BCG = bacillus Calmette-Guérin (tuberculosis) vaccine
OPV = oral polio vaccine
DTP = diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
DT = diphtheria, tetanus vaccine
HBV = hepatitis B vaccine
Hib = Haemophilus influenza group b (meningitis) vaccine
Td = Tetanus and diptheria vaccine 6 and 12 years old
Over the last few years there has been a fair amount of controversy regarding vaccinations, but the latest research shows that they do not cause serious harm. There can be mild side-effects such as headaches, muscle aches and fevers, which usually last for only a few hours, and the temporary side-effects that may be suffered are minimal in comparison to the sometimes-fatal diseases.
Learn more:
All you need to know about vaccines and vaccination.
Reviewed by Dr Diana Hardie, Clinical Virologist, employed jointly by University of Cape Town and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)
