In the Netherlands a BCG vaccination is offered to children if one or both parents are from a country where tuberculosis is more common. The vaccination is offered to children till the age of 12 years.
Especially young children are susceptible and can be severely ill due to tuberculosis.
Through the municipal database we receive information if one or both parents are born in a country where tuberculosis is common. Research has shown that children born from these parents are prone to tuberculosis primarily due to contact when visiting their parent(s) country of origin.
It is advisable to have your child vaccinated if you visit your country of origin and/or has he/ she has frequent contact with people from countries where tuberculosis is common.
When you receive an appointment letter it will also contain a questionnaire. Please complete this and take it to your appointment. If one of the questions is answered with ‘YES” please contact the GGD per email. We will respond within 24 hours to your mail.
The vaccination is given as soon as possible after birth. When the results of the heelprik test are normal.
For more information see folder Heelprick test
If your child has travelled or is older than 1 year old a tuberculin skin test will be performed first. This is to make sure your child has not already been infected with the tuberculosis bacteria. If your appointment is shorter than 2 months after your journey, please contact the GGD.
The BCG vaccination fluid is injected in de skin of the left upper arm of the child.
After 4-8 weeks usually at the injection site a red skin reaction with or without an abscess scan develop. This reaction can last up to 6 months with even some discharge of blood and/ or pus. This is quite normal. After the reaction is gone the vaccination site will usually leave a scar behind. Additional information about taking care of the vaccination site will be also provided at the GGD. For more information see the folder BCG-vaccination aftercare
It takes weeks for the vaccination to be effective so fever after the vaccination is not a side effect of this vaccination and usually due to other causes.
The vaccination has little side effects in healthy children. This is therefore not harmful to combine this vaccination with other vaccinations. It is important to mention all information about the health of your child to us.
When you receive an appointment letter it will also contain a questionnaire. Please complete this and take it to your appointment. If one of the questions is answered with ‘YES” please contact the GGD per email. We will respond within 24 hours to your mail.
You can change your appointment by filling in the change appointment form. Make sure you contact the right GGD.
There are several information brochures about BCG vaccination
You need to bring the following documents/papers to the appointment.