Christine Ogundele, immunisation specialist nurse for Whittington Health, talks to us about the importance of vaccinating children

All parents that I meet want the best for their babies. When I meet parents who are not confident about getting their children vaccinated, I tell them that it is safe, and it is effective.

Much like clean drinking water, it is something that keeps children safe from serious diseases. During childhood there is a schedule of vaccinations that we offer to protect children against serious diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, measles and hepatitis B.

Some of these vaccinations are given in combined jabs to make it easier for parents and children. Some of them do require multiple doses so we ask that people remember to come back after the first one. The NHS also sends reminders.

The school summer holiday is a great time to get up to date on your child’s vaccines. We often see increases in infections during holidays because there is more travel to countries where diseases are more common.

Vaccinating your child protects them at home and when travelling abroad. Parents can check their child’s health record, which is a red book, or they can speak to their GP to check their child’s vaccination schedule.