The Immunisation Service helps to protect the population of Fife by vaccinating against infectious disease and viruses; vaccines are given at different times and at different ages to protect children and adults, supporting them to build immunity and live healthier lives. The service can help you to identify if you are due any vaccines and can support you to access these.
Read more about the Scottish childhood immunisation programme on NHS Inform
Immunisation saves lives. It protects you, your family and your community. It helps protect future generations by eradicating disease.
Not all babies and children react in the same way, and some may not seem to feel any pain, but we all know that injections can hurt. Occasionally people may develop a fear of injections, so it is not a good idea to say things like ‘don’t worry, it won’t hurt’. However, there are ways to help reduce the pain that your child might feel. See our hints and tips section below.
Even premature babies can cope with vaccines. It is a good idea to vaccinate them because they have a higher risk of catching infectious diseases
People who have received some live vaccines are advised to stay away from other people who are severely immunosuppressed. This is because there is a small risk that a healthy person who has received the live vaccine could pass the weakened form of the virus on to someone who is immunosuppressed and cause disease. (The weakened virus is not capable of causing disease in any other healthy people.)
Most of the vaccines now used in the UK are inactivated (killed) vaccines or 'subunit' vaccines made with only parts of the bacteria or virus. It is impossible for anyone to get a disease from a vaccine made with killed bacteria or viruses, or made with only part of the bacteria or virus.
International travel means that any infectious disease is only a few hours’ flight away. Travellers to countries which still have diseases like polio and diphtheria can bring back these diseases to the UK, and this can put unvaccinated people at risk. For example, two unvaccinated children in Europe have died of diphtheria since the start of 2015. Once a disease is wiped out in every country in the world, vaccination is no longer necessary, but so far this has only happened in the case of smallpox.
You can change your mind at any point. Even though it is better to get your child vaccinated at the ages recommended in the UK schedule, it is never too late to start vaccination. The majority of vaccines can be given at any point in childhood, so you can contact us and we can give your child the vaccines they need
Contact the immunisation team on 01383 565456 and speak with one of the team or NHS inform - Scottish health information you can trust | NHS inform
Yes you can. Read the Fatwa on the flu vaccine containing porcine gelatine.
