Children, especially those under five years old, have underdeveloped immune systems, placing them at high risk of contracting infectious diseases in the community and experiencing severe complications if not immunized. Your child, currently four years old, has received all vaccines included in the Expanded Program on Immunization. This provides a crucial foundation, helping to protect them from many dangerous infectious diseases prevalent in the community, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, Japanese encephalitis, and diseases caused by Hib.

However, many other important vaccines are not yet part of the Expanded Program on Immunization. Therefore, receiving only free vaccinations does not mean a child is fully protected against all circulating pathogens.

Preschool children, particularly at four years old, frequently learn and play in crowded environments and have close contact with peers, which significantly increases their risk of contracting various infectious diseases.

_Children are taken by parents to VNVC for vaccination to prevent diseases. Photo: Binh An_

Therefore, parents should ensure their child receives all vaccines in the Expanded Program on Immunization and proactively supplement with recommended private vaccinations for more comprehensive protection. Families should take their children to a vaccination facility to review their immunization history and receive advice on necessary vaccines like seasonal influenza (followed by annual boosters), chickenpox, meningococcal, and pneumococcal vaccines (protecting against 15 or 20 types of bacteria), hepatitis A, and dengue fever.

Additionally, once a child is nine years old or older, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is recommended for early protection. This common virus can lead to several cancers, including cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal, and penile cancers, as well as genital warts. Children also need to receive booster doses for certain vaccines on schedule to maintain long-term immunity.

To determine if your child is fully protected, you should bring their vaccination record or immunization history information to the nearest vaccination center. A doctor will review it and create a supplementary vaccination schedule if any doses are missing. Late vaccinations typically do not require restarting the entire series; instead, catch-up doses will be prescribed according to the child's age and vaccination history.

Currently, preschool children are among the groups whose vaccination history needs to be reviewed for full supplementation, as guided by Government Decree 165/2026/ND-CP, effective from 1/7. To facilitate parents in completing their children's immunization schedules conveniently, nearly 300 vaccination centers under the VNVC Vaccination System are assisting parents with free immunization record lookups and certification nationwide.

Doctor Nguyen Nhu Dien

Medical Manager, VNVC Vaccination System