European Immunisation Week, 20-26 April 2020

European Immunisation Week (EIW) runs from 20-26 April 2020. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region marks EIW to promote immunisation as vital to preventing diseases and protecting life.

The theme of EIW this year celebrates the value of vaccines as an investment in good health and well-being throughout life. As 2020 has been designated the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, WHO Europe will also take this opportunity to commend nurses and midwives for helping to keep their communities healthy through immunisation.

Immunisation appointments for children and pregnant women in Scotland continue during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Scheduled immunisations are an important and legitimate medical reason to leave home, and people who have an immunisation appointment should attend as planned. Children should attend for a range of vaccinations at eight weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 12-13 months and three years and four months old. Pregnant women are invited to receive the whooping cough vaccine from week sixteen of their pregnancy.

If an individual with an upcoming immunisation appointment, or a member of their household, is showing symptoms of COVID-19, then they must not attend, but should call the number on their invitation to rearrange the appointment. Up-to-date public information about immunisations is available on the NHS Inform website and via Twitter @NHSImmuniseScot.