The NHS childhood vaccination schedule is one of the most comprehensive in the world. It's also one of the areas where parental anxiety runs highest. Here's what the evidence actually says.
The schedule
8 weeks: 6-in-1, rotavirus, MenB. 12 weeks: 6-in-1, MenB, rotavirus. 16 weeks: 6-in-1, pneumococcal. 12 months: MMRV, pneumococcal, MenB. 18 months and pre-school boosters follow.
Multiple vaccines at once
Babies encounter thousands of antigens daily through normal breathing and eating. The antigens in the entire vaccine schedule represent a tiny fraction of what their immune system already handles. Spreading vaccines out leaves the child unprotected for longer.
MMR and autism
The 1998 paper claiming a link was fraudulent. Andrew Wakefield was struck off the medical register. Multiple studies involving millions of children confirm there is no link. The Cochrane Library, NICE, and every major health body globally agree.
Side effects
Sore arm, mild fever, irritability for a day or two. MenB is particularly associated with fever - give infant paracetamol at the time of the jab and again four to six hours later. Serious allergic reactions: roughly 1 in a million doses.