Infants and young children

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Following the recommended vaccine schedule provides your child with the best protection from potentially serious diseases.

Recommended vaccine schedule for infants and young children

The vaccination schedule is designed to protect children early in life before they are exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases and when they are most at risk for serious disease complications. 

Some vaccines are given as combination vaccines (vaccines that contain more than one vaccine in a single shot), and some are given individually. Combination vaccines are safe and provide the same protection as vaccines given individually but with fewer shots.
 
Most vaccines require more than one dose over time to produce immunity and long-lasting protection. The number of doses needed depends on the type of vaccine. 
 
The schedule below outlines the vaccines recommended for children starting at 2 months of age. 
 
Vaccine 2 months 4 months 6 months 12 months 18 months Starting
at 4 years
(kindergarten entry)
DTaP-HB-IPV-Hib
(diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b)		      
Pneumococcal Conjugate1      
Rotavirus        
Meningococcal C Conjugate        
MMR
(measles, mumps, rubella)		          
Varicella2
(chickenpox)		          
DTap-IPV-Hib
(diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b)		          
Tdap-IPV
(tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio)		          
MMRV2
(measles, mumps, rubella, varicella)		          
Influenza3
(Inactivated and Live-Attenuated)		    


   Yearly for children 6 months of age and older
Hepatitis A4
(for Indigenous children only)		      

 

 

1 - Children with specific medical conditions that place them at high risk of disease should receive an additional dose at 6 months of age. See the HealthLinkBC File for more information on vaccine eligibility or speak to your health care provider.
2 - Children who had chickenpox or shingles disease, confirmed by a lab test, at 1 year of age or older do not need the chickenpox vaccine and should get the MMR vaccine at 4 years of age.
3 - A second dose is needed 4 weeks after the first dose if receiving vaccine for the first time.
4 - Hepatitis A vaccine is offered to Indigenous children living both on-reserve and off-reserve.

 
 

COVID-19 vaccines for children

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older to help protect against severe COVID-19. Find information on COVID-19 vaccines. 

 

Vaccines for children with chronic health conditions

Children with chronic health conditions may need additional vaccines or additional doses of a vaccine. If your child has a chronic condition, talk to your doctor or public health nurse about their vaccination schedule.

 

Extra protection: vaccines for purchase 

In addition to routine vaccines, your child may benefit from getting other vaccines that you can purchase. These vaccines can give your child extra protection against certain diseases. Talk to your health care provider to find out if your child has all the protection they need.

If you’re travelling, your child may need travel vaccines to protect them against diseases that are rare in Canada, but common in other parts of the world. Find information on travel vaccines. 

 

Related pages

 
Date last reviewed: 
Wednesday, Oct 05, 2022