Can children get multiple vaccines at the same time?

My baby is about to be 2 months old, the doctor advised him to get pneumococcal vaccine, 6 in 1 and small Rotavirus in one time.

Should children get more than one vaccine at a time? Does the vaccine affect the effectiveness of the vaccine or cause side effects? (Hong Tham, District 12, HCMC)

Reply:

Hello,

Immunization with multiple vaccines at the same time still achieves a good immune response without causing adverse reactions or making the reactions worse. Vaccinating on time helps children avoid the risk of diseases that at a young age can cause many dangerous complications.

On the other hand, simultaneous vaccination with multiple vaccines also helps parents save time and travel costs. Currently, many advanced countries in the world are also recommending multiple vaccinations at the same time for the convenience of the people.

Children are vaccinated at the VNVC Immunization System. Photo source: Moc Thao

According to experts, the child's body can receive 10,000 different vaccines at the same time. In fact, each vaccine contains less than 100 antigens. Others contain only one antigen (hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus), which means that with 10 vaccines, the child's body only needs 0.1% of the immune system to respond. Therefore, parents can rest assured that there is no chance that children receiving 3 or 4 vaccines at the same time will cause side effects.

At VNVC Vaccination Center System, the vaccination process consists of 7 safe and self-contained steps. In particular, the pre-injection screening process is carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health. The doctor will discuss with parents about the child's health problems, from which to give an indication of the amount and type of vaccine, ensuring it is appropriate for the age and health status of the child.

Regardless of whether one or more shots are given, parents need to let their child stay at the vaccination site for 30 minutes after the injection to monitor the reaction, and continue to monitor at home for 48 hours. If the child shows abnormal signs, they should be taken immediately to a medical facility for prompt care.