Looking for a baby vaccination schedule by age? This global guide explains common infant and childhood immunization windows — from newborn vaccines through school-age boosters — and why exact timing always depends on your country.
There is no single vaccination schedule used worldwide. Countries publish their own national immunization schedules based on local disease patterns, public-health priorities, vaccine availability, and health-system recommendations. Use this page as an educational overview, then confirm the official schedule with your local health authority or paediatrician.
Visual: global vaccination timeline
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Educational guide only
This article provides general educational information and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Vaccination schedules vary by country and may change based on public-health guidance, age, previous doses, health conditions, travel, and other factors. For your child’s exact vaccination schedule, consult your local health authority or paediatrician.
Medical information should be reviewed by a qualified healthcare professional. Author: DawaAI Editorial Team.
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Educational use only. This is not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Always confirm with a licensed doctor.
This guide organises common childhood vaccination focus by age stage — from birth through adolescence.
There is no single worldwide baby vaccination calendar. Countries publish their own official schedules.
Use this page to understand what to expect, then confirm exact timing with your paediatrician or national health authority.
Parents searching for a baby vaccine chart usually want a clear path from birth to childhood. The stages below reflect common global windows, not a mandate that every child receives the same vaccines on the same dates.
Birth
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
Early infancy
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
2 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
4 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
6 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
9–12 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
12–18 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
18–24 months
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
4–6 years
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
Later childhood / adolescence
Exact visit ages and antigens differ by country
This age-wise table summarises what many childhood immunization programmes focus on at each stage. Vaccine examples are illustrative of antigens commonly discussed internationally — they are not a checklist that every baby must complete on these exact dates.
| Age / stage | Common vaccination focus | Examples of vaccines | Why it is given | Country variation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Immediate newborn protection where nationally recommended | Hepatitis B (many programmes); BCG where tuberculosis risk and policy support it | Protect newborns early against selected diseases present in the community or transmitted around birth | BCG is common in many countries but not routine in others (for example, most healthy US newborns). Hep B timing and dose count differ by programme |
| Early infancy (first weeks) | Start of the primary infant series in some schedules | First doses of combination vaccines (diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis containing), polio, Hib, pneumococcal, or rotavirus — depending on country | Build early immunity before peak exposure risk for several vaccine-preventable diseases | Some countries start at 6–8 weeks; others use a 2-month visit as the first major cluster. Exact antigens differ |
| Around 2 months | Primary series cluster in many national schedules | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP/DTP/hexavalent combinations), polio (IPV/OPV), Hib, pneumococcal (PCV), rotavirus — commonly included in many programmes | Multiple primary doses establish protection against several serious bacterial and viral diseases of infancy | Visit timing may be labelled 8 weeks, 2 months, or similar. Combination products and brand names differ by country |
| Around 4 months | Continuation of primary infant doses | Additional doses of DTP/DTaP-containing vaccines, polio, Hib, PCV, and rotavirus where those series continue | Second (or next) primary doses improve and extend protection after the first visit | Interval rules and which vaccines share the same visit are set by each national programme |
| Around 6 months | Further primary doses; influenza eligibility in some countries | Third primary doses for several infant antigens in many schedules; influenza vaccine where recommended by age and season | Completing primary series doses reduces gaps in protection during the second half of infancy | Not every country schedules the same antigens at exactly 6 months. Influenza guidance is seasonal and age-dependent |
| 9–12 months | First measles-containing and other toddler vaccines | Measles-containing vaccine (measles alone or MMR/MMRV); other programme-specific vaccines may appear in this window | Maternal antibodies wane; measles vaccination timing balances early protection against circulating measles with immune response | WHO guidance often supports measles vaccination around 9 months in higher-risk settings; many low-risk programmes schedule MMR closer to 12 months |
| 12–18 months | Toddler boosters and first doses of additional antigens | MMR (if not given earlier), varicella, hepatitis A, Hib/PCV boosters, meningococcal vaccines — depending on national policy | Boosters and first doses for diseases that often appear in toddlerhood or preschool years | Varicella and Hep A are routine in some countries and optional/risk-based in others. Meningococcal products and ages differ widely |
| 18–24 months | Additional toddler doses or catch-up windows | Further doses of measles-containing, Hep A, or combination boosters where the national schedule places them | Complete multi-dose series and close immunity gaps before preschool | Some programmes concentrate visits earlier; others add an 18-month appointment. Always follow the local card |
| 4–6 years | School-entry / preschool boosters | DTaP/Tdap-containing boosters, polio boosters, second MMR (or measles-containing) dose — common in many schedules | Waning immunity and school/community exposure make booster timing important before school entry | Exact school-entry antigens and ages (4 vs 5–6 years) differ by country and region |
| Later childhood / adolescence | Adolescent platforms and catch-up | HPV, meningococcal vaccines, Tdap boosters, influenza; travel or outbreak vaccines as indicated | Protect against sexually transmitted vaccine-preventable disease (HPV), meningitis risk periods, and waning tetanus/pertussis immunity | Start ages for HPV and meningococcal programmes vary. Some vaccines remain risk-area or travel dependent |
On mobile, swipe horizontally to view all columns. This table is educational — it is not a prescription or a universal clinical schedule.
Childhood programmes worldwide protect against many vaccine-preventable diseases. Labels below clarify whether a vaccine is widely included, country-dependent, risk-area dependent, or mainly age/group specific. Not every child in every country receives all of these.
Protects against: Tuberculosis (severe childhood forms)
Widely used where TB risk and policy support it; not routine for all newborns in every high-income country.
Protects against: Hepatitis B
Birth dose is recommended in many schedules; series timing still varies by programme.
Protects against: Poliomyelitis
Most countries use IPV, OPV, or a sequential schedule based on national polio strategy.
Protects against: Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough
Core infant antigens worldwide; product names (DTaP, DTP, hexavalent combinations) differ.
Protects against: Haemophilus influenzae type b
Usually part of primary infant series where Hib disease risk and programme capacity allow.
Protects against: Pneumococcal disease
Serotype coverage and dose schedule depend on the PCV product licensed nationally.
Protects against: Severe rotavirus diarrhoea
Age windows are strict for many products; not every country includes rotavirus yet.
Protects against: Measles, mumps, rubella (and varicella if MMRV)
First dose age often 9–12 months depending on measles epidemiology and national policy.
Protects against: Meningococcal disease
Serogroups covered (e.g. MenACWY, MenB, MenA) and ages vary by country epidemiology.
Protects against: Chickenpox
Routine in some programmes; optional or not funded in others.
Protects against: Hepatitis A
Routine toddler vaccination in some countries; risk-based elsewhere.
Protects against: HPV-related cancers / disease
Usually adolescent programmes; start age and gender eligibility differ by country.
Protects against: Seasonal influenza
Seasonal recommendations and earliest age of use differ; not identical worldwide.
Protects against: Japanese encephalitis
Used in endemic regions or for travellers to those areas — not a universal infant vaccine.
Protects against: Yellow fever
Required or recommended in specific endemic zones and for travel — not worldwide routine infancy care.
An international vaccination schedule comparison shows patterns — not one identical calendar. National programmes diverge for practical and epidemiological reasons:
CDC, NHS, and WHO are not interchangeable personal schedules
CDC guidance is designed for the United States. NHS / UKHSA tables apply in the UK. WHO recommendations help countries design programmes. Always follow the schedule issued for your child’s place of care.
The notes below are a high-level educational comparison of selected programmes. This is not an exhaustive country database. Always check your country’s official health authority for the exact infant vaccine chart.
Authority: CDC / ACIP child & adolescent immunization schedule
Hepatitis B commonly starts at birth; dense primary visits around 2, 4, and 6 months; MMR typically around 12–15 months; BCG is not routine for most healthy newborns.
Important: US recommendations apply to the US programme context — they are not a global rulebook.
Authority: NHS / UK Health Security Agency routine immunisation schedule
Primary infant visits often clustered at about 8, 12, and 16 weeks; MMR around the first birthday; BCG offered selectively based on risk, not to every newborn.
Important: UK schedule details change over time; always use the current official UK table for clinical decisions.
Authority: National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and provincial/territorial programmes
Public schedules generally include infant combination vaccines, pneumococcal, rotavirus (in many jurisdictions), and MMR in the second year of life.
Important: Provinces and territories may fund slightly different products or visit ages — check the local public schedule.
Authority: Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule
Hepatitis B at birth is part of the NIP; infant doses commonly occur at 2, 4, and 6 months; measles-containing vaccines appear in the second year with later boosters.
Important: States/territories can add funded vaccines. Confirm on the current Australian Department of Health schedule.
Authority: National immunization technical advisory groups + ECDC comparative resources
Most European countries vaccinate against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, measles, and many also include pneumococcal and rotavirus — but visit ages and products differ country by country.
Important: There is no single “EU vaccination schedule.” Use the child’s country of residence official calendar.
Authority: Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) and national technical guidance
Includes antigens such as BCG, hepatitis B, polio, DTP-containing vaccines, measles-containing vaccines, and other programme vaccines on a national timeline.
Important: Listed here as one national programme example — not the default for this global guide. Private paediatric schedules in India may also differ from UIP.
Authority: WHO routine immunization recommendations (summary tables) + country EPI schedules
WHO publishes evidence-based recommendations to help countries design schedules; countries adapt timing and antigens to local epidemiology and health-system capacity.
Important: WHO tables guide programme managers — they are not a personal prescription for every child worldwide.
There is no universal worldwide minimum list
Do not treat any blog table as the legal or medical minimum for every country. National immunization programmes define what is routine where you live.
Missed appointments are common. Catch-up immunization exists in most programmes, but the plan must be individualized by a clinician using official catch-up tables — not guessed from an article.
A clear immunization record helps clinics, schools, and travel health services verify what has already been given — especially when families move between cities or countries.
Major schedule claims on this page are framed against authoritative public-health sources. Country-specific details should always be re-checked on the official page for that authority, because schedules are updated periodically.
No. There is no single vaccination schedule used worldwide. Countries publish their own national immunization schedules based on local disease patterns, public-health priorities, vaccine availability, and health-system recommendations. This article is a global educational guide — verify the exact schedule with your country’s official health authority or paediatrician.
Depending on the country, vaccines commonly discussed at birth include hepatitis B and, in many tuberculosis-risk settings, BCG. Not every country gives the same birth vaccines. Your hospital or midwife programme follows the national newborn protocol.
Many national programmes begin the primary infant series in the first weeks to months of life — often around 6–8 weeks or at about 2 months — with further doses around 4 and 6 months. Exact visit ages and vaccine combinations differ by country.
Measles-containing vaccines are often first given between about 9 and 12 months. Higher measles-risk settings may vaccinate closer to 9 months; many lower-risk programmes schedule MMR around 12 months. Follow your local official timing.
Contact your clinic promptly. Many vaccines have catch-up schedules, and a series often does not need to restart from the beginning. Bring the vaccination record so a clinician can map remaining doses safely. Do not invent a catch-up plan from a website.
No. WHO recommendations help countries design programmes. CDC (US), NHS/UKHSA (UK), and other authorities publish schedules for their own populations. Use your country’s official immunization schedule as the source of truth for your child.
Not always. Routine childhood vaccines protect against diseases in the national programme. Travel or risk-area vaccines (for example, yellow fever or Japanese encephalitis in relevant regions) are added based on destination and epidemiology — ask a travel clinic or paediatrician before trips.
Keep the official card or digital immunization record, note each vaccine name and date, store backup copies, and bring the record to appointments, school enrolment, and international moves. Ask the clinic to update catch-up doses in writing.
A baby vaccination schedule by age is best understood as a sequence of protective windows — newborn, early infancy, 2 / 4 / 6 months, 9–12 months, toddler boosters, school-entry doses, and adolescent platforms. Exact antigens and visit dates are set by your national or regional programme. Use official WHO, UNICEF, CDC, NHS, or national EPI resources for programme context, and your paediatrician for your child’s plan.
This article provides general educational information and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Vaccination schedules vary by country and may change based on public-health guidance, age, previous doses, health conditions, travel, and other factors. For your child’s exact vaccination schedule, consult your local health authority or paediatrician.
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