Vaccination saves lives. Vaccination is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health. They prevent up to 3 million deaths worldwide every year.
This new video and Easy Read guide were made with people with a learning disability.
The video and guide are based on information we learned from people with a learning disability, their carers, and supporting organisations.
The video shows a person and their carer visiting their GP surgery to have their flu vaccine. It provides examples of the reasonable adjustments you can ask for to support you to go to your appointment, like a double appointment, and help with needle anxiety.
The Easy Read guide is split into 2 parts.
Click here to read the Easy Read guide part 1 - About vaccines.
Click here to read the Easy Read guide part 2 - Getting a vaccine.
It is important that all children and babies are fully immunised to protect them from potentially serious diseases. Once common illnesses, such as diphtheria and tetanus, are now rare in the UK because of immunisation. But while polio has been eliminated in Europe, the threat of other diseases, such as measles and meningitis, has not gone away in the UK today.
Parents with worries or queries about any aspect of their child's immunisations should discuss them with their Doctor, Health Visitor, Practice Nurse or School Nurse.
Immunisation is a lifelong event and adults also benefit from immunisation. It is important that adults have had all of their routine childhood immunisations.
Some people will need additional immunisations as they are at increased risk due to their age or health condition, or to protect their health in work or if travelling. For those at increased risk to complications of influenza, the annual flu vaccine is recommended. A Pneumococcal vaccine is also recommended to help protect people at increased risk of pneumococcal disease.
We have also faced the unprecedented challenges of delivering one of the swiftest and most comprehensive vaccination programmes in delivering the COVID-19 vaccines and it is important that all those who are eligible to get vaccinated do so when they are invited.
If you have an immunisation query, please contact your health board team in the first instance. You will find their details here: Vaccine Contacts - Welsh Health Boards.
The Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme (VPDP) of Public Health Wales was established in July 2005. It draws on support from a variety of existing partners across NHS Wales and beyond to support a national approach to Immunisations and vaccinations.
To contact the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme team at Public Health Wales, please email us at: phw.vaccines@wales.nhs.uk.