What are the guidelines for catch-up vaccinations for children who have missed scheduled immunisations?

Current guidelines for catch-up vaccinations in children who have missed scheduled immunisations recommend that any interrupted immunisation course should not be restarted but resumed and completed as soon as possible.

For infants under 1 year with incomplete primary courses of DTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccines, missing doses can be given as combination vaccines (e.g., DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) at 4-week intervals to complete the course.

Missed doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) should be given as a single dose at least 1 month after any previous dose, with all unimmunised or incompletely immunised children over 1 year requiring one dose.

For meningococcal group B (MenB) vaccine in children born on or after 1 May 2015, those who received fewer than two doses in the first year should receive two doses in the second year of life spaced at least 2 months apart; if necessary, doses can be given 4 weeks apart to complete the schedule.

Missed doses of meningococcal group C (MenC) or MenACWY vaccine should be given as a single dose of MenACWY to eligible children and young people, particularly those aged 10–25 years with incomplete MenC history or who have not received MenACWY.

For measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, a missed dose should be given as a single dose followed by a second dose usually at 3 years and 4 months old; in some cases, the second dose may be given earlier (1 month interval if over 18 months old, or 3 months if younger) to ensure protection.

Rotavirus vaccine catch-up doses are not recommended after 1 year of age due to age restrictions to minimize risk.

For children aged 2–10 years who are unimmunised or incompletely immunised, one dose of Hib and MenC vaccine is recommended over the age of 1 year.

If the immunisation history is uncertain or unknown, it is advised to assume the child is unvaccinated and plan a full course accordingly, using available algorithms and guidance from Public Health England.

Consent must be obtained from a person with parental responsibility, and contraindications such as immunosuppression should be checked before administering live vaccines.

Vaccines should be administered intramuscularly (or subcutaneously if bleeding risk exists) at appropriate sites, with documentation of vaccine details and administration.