Childhood vaccinations are important for protecting you and your child from serious diseases. They also help to protect the wider community by stopping the spread of disease to those who aren’t able to get vaccinations. Vaccinations work by teaching your immune system to fight off diseases and they all go through rigorous safety and side-effect testing before being introduced.
This document outlines when your child should receive each of their vaccinations: here 

Your child will receive a letter from NHS Lothian inviting them to receive vaccines suitable for their age group. Contact details can be found on your child's invitation letter.

If you need to contact the immunisation team or re-arrange an appointment, please contact them on: 

0300 790 6296       

or email them at:

loth.covidvaccenquiries@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk   (please note, despite the email containing 'covid', this email is used for all vaccinations in Lothian). 

Home-Educated children are also eligible for the vaccines, such as the flu vaccine. To arrange this, please contact the NHS Lothian vaccination team on:

0300 790 6296       

or email them at:

loth.covidvaccenquiries@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk 

(please note, despite the email containing 'covid', this email is used for all vaccinations in Lothian). 

2 months:  6-in-1 vaccine, meningitis B, rotavirus and pneumococcal for babies vaccines. 

Age 1: From their first birthday, your child will be offered the Hib/Men C, MMR and booster vaccines. 

Age 2: Children aged 2 years and older are usually given the flu vaccine as a nasal (nose) spray into each nostril. It's quick and painless and there's no need to sniff or inhale the vaccine. It'll just feel like a tickle in their nose. 

Age 3: At three years and four months, your child will be offered further booster vaccines (MMR and the 4-in-1). 

Age 5: Everyone over the age of five is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. For further information on doses and boosters, please visit NHS Inform. Details of your local vaccination clinic can be found in the COVID-19 section of NHS Inform.

Age 12-14: Every S1 pupil in Scotland is offered the HPV vaccine, which provides vital protection against developing several types of cancer. 

Age 13-15: From S3, all young people are offered the Td/IPV vaccine (which completes their five-dose course against tetanus, diphtheria and polio).  In S3, young people will also be offered the MenACWY vaccine which helps protect against meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning).