Child, adult and travel vaccinations
If you're planning an exotic vacation this summer, where can you get travel vaccinations, and what are the recommended childhood vaccinations?
Yellow Fever vaccinations are given at the travel clinic of the Central Hospital © Photo credit: Shutterstock
There are a number of vaccinations for children and adults that are recommended in Luxembourg and paid for by the state.
Despite debates over vaccinations and their contents or side effects, The World Health Organisation states that vaccines prevent some 2-3 million deaths a year. Today, there are vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, influenza and measles.
In Luxembourg vaccinations are not compulsory, but recommended, and the ones listed below (not travel vaccines) are paid for by the state or reimbursable via the CNS.
Child vaccinations
Vaccinations for children start at 2 months and finish at ages 15-16 years © Photo credit: AFP
Children born in Luxembourg will be given a vaccination book, which will list the dates and types of vaccination a child has received and helps parents to keep abreast of dates for future vaccinations. Below are the child vaccines recommended in Luxembourg:
Note that different timings apply to premature babies.
At 2 months
1st dose of the combined vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, meningitis, polio and hepatitis B
1st dose of vaccine for rotavirus gastroenteritis
1st dose of vaccine against pneumococcal infections
At 3 months
2nd dose of the combined vaccine
2nd dose of the rotavirus vaccine
At 4 months
3rd dose of the combined vaccine
3rd dose of the rotavirus vaccine
2nd dose of the pneumococci vaccine
At 12 months
1st dose of the MMRV vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox)
3rd dose of the pneumococci vaccine
At 13 months
4th dose of the combined vaccine
15-23 months
2nd dose of the MMRV vaccine
5-6 years, 12 years
Children have the opportunity to have a catch dose of the combined vaccine if they missed an injection at age 5-6 years and the chance to take a Hep B vaccine at age 12 years if this was not taken earlier.
9-13 years
Vaccine against papillomavirus infections.
11-13 years
Bivalent vaccine for girls (reimbursable by the CNS).
15-16 years
A reminder for the Men C and combined vaccine.
Adults vaccinations
Adults can take a combined vaccine booster every 10 years. Those aged 65 years and over can get vaccinations for pneumococci and seasonal influenza. Pregnant women, people with chronic heart conditions, lung, kidney, or auto-immune diseases, will receive a prescription for a seasonal flu vaccine.
Travel vaccinations
Travel to exotic locations is back on the agenda, but you may need additional vaccinations depending on the destination.
It’s advised that you visit your doctor or medical practice at least 6 weeks before your planned travel date to ensure there is plenty of time to order vaccines and medication and provide injections at least 10 days before you travel.
Yellow fever is currently the only disease which requires an international vaccination certificate to prove you have been vaccinated when you enter a country, particularly those in Latin America and Africa. This certificate is valid for life. Travel vaccinations are recommended for any person from the age of 9 months with some exceptions (pregnant women, those with low immune defence or those allergic to eggs since the vaccine contains a small amount of egg protein).
You can get vaccinated for yellow fever at the travel clinic at the Central Hospital of Luxembourg, which can also vaccinate you against rabies, Japanese encephalitis, and hepatitis A and B. Doctors surgeries and medical centres can provide a prescription for anti-malarial drugs.
You can find a full list of travel vaccination requirements from WHO here.
