Vaccinations of baby’s and children

Infants between 2 and 15 months of age receive their basic vaccinations.

During their school age they receive the necessary revaccinations and the girls also receive the vaccinations for the prevention of cervical cancer. These vaccines are free of charge. They are paid by the taxpayer. They are given during consultations at ‘Kind & Gezin’ or in class by the school doctor or by your general practitioner.

As a parent you can choose to have these vaccinations with your trusted doctor. Sometimes school children prefer to have their vaccinations in the presence of mom or dad or you prefer a prescription for Gardasil 9® or you have questions.

Please let me know a week in advance that you will come so that I can order the vaccines in case I do not have them in stock anymore. You don’t have to pay for the vaccine itself. You only pay for the consultation. Bring your booklet or vaccination card with you if you would like to have it filled out. The vaccine is registered in the ‘Vaccinnet’ database, just as with Kind & Gezin or CLB.

More info regarding the vaccination schedule can be found on one of the following websites:

www.zorg-en-gezondheid.be/basisvaccinatieschema

www.kindengezin.be/nl/thema/gezondheid-en-vaccinatie

Vaccinations of (young) adults

Young adults can choose to be vaccinated against HPV. The HPV vaccin is free of charge if given at school by the CLB.

(Young) adults need a repeat vaccination against tetanus diphtheria-pertussis every 10 years. This is a booster vaccine of the basic vaccinations that you have received as a baby and later as a child. You do not have to buy these vaccines yourself at the pharmacy, I have these vaccines in stock in my fridge and they are free.

If you want to protect yourself against flu, you can be vaccinated annually.

From 65 years of age (or 50 years in case of chronic diseases) the annual flu shot is recommended as well as a vaccination against pneumococci.

Finally, anyone who comes into contact with foodstuff professionally should be vaccinated against hepatitis A.

Travel vaccinations and travel advice

When planning a trip abroad, this is an ideal time to check your own vaccination status.

First check for yourself which vaccinations you have had in the past. You search for your vaccination cards (for vaccinations given a while ago) and check in ‘Vaccinnet’ for the more recently given vaccines. You can look in ‘Vaccinnet’ yourself at www.myhealthviewer.be/#/login.

Compare what you’ve already had with the vaccines you need. Make sure that the vaccinations have been given according to the correct schedule and they are not expired. You can find out which vaccines you need by looking at the website of the Tropical Institute via www.itg.be.

In case you need vaccinations, I will prescribe them for you so that you can buy them at your pharmacy. You must not buy the vaccine ‘tetanus diphtheria-pertussis’ yourself, this is not a travel vaccine but a booster vaccine of your basic vaccinations. It’s free and I have them in stock in my fridge.

Make sure you are on time for your travel vaccinations. It takes at least 2 weeks before a vaccine offers protection. Sometimes you need a booster vaccination and you must respect a time interval between the first vaccination and the booster vaccination. Sometimes a vaccine is temporarily out of stock at the pharmacy.

If you can not figure it out all by yourself, come to my consultation and we will check together which vaccines you have had, which were complete and which are not or which have expired, which are really necessary, which are optional and how much they cost. I will issue you the necessary prescriptions.

Received a prescription for a vaccination?

If you have received a prescription to buy a vaccine from the pharmacist, plan when you want to come to have your vaccination given. Go to the pharmacy with your prescription and ask if it can be available on that day. Now book your appointment in the online agenda to get the vaccination. Just before your appointment, you pick up the vaccine at the pharmacy. Only in this order do you avoid that your vaccine does not do what it is meant for. After all, vaccines can not withstand heat. Especially in warm weather you should use a cool bag to transport it. Are you in the waiting room and someone else is before you then stand up and show me your vaccine, I’ll put it in my fridge until it’s your turn. Vaccines that have been frozen, even if only for a few minutes, have become worthless.