Which Vaccinations are required by law in Singapore?

In Singapore, there are two vaccines that are mandatory by law. These are Diphtheria and Measles.

A child should receive three doses of the Diphtheria vaccine before 1 year of age.

The first booster dose is given at 18 months of age followed by a top-up booster above the age of 11 years to maintain continued protection against diphtheria.

The first Measles vaccine is given at 12 months of age and second booster at age 15-18 months.

In addition to the mandatory vaccines, there are other vaccinations that a child needs to register in primary school in Singapore.

These vaccines include:

• BCG

The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine is a vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis.

• Pertussis

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe.

• Tetanus

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani. When the bacteria invade the body, they produce a poison (toxin) that causes painful muscle contractions. Another name for tetanus is “lockjaw”. It often causes a person's neck and jaw muscles to lock, making it hard to open the mouth or swallow.

• Poliomyelitis

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person's spinal cord, causing paralysis (can't move parts of the body).

• Mumps

Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by a virus. It typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.

• Rubella

Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Most people who get rubella usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

• Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/index.htm#:~:text=Hepatitis%20B%20is%20a%20vaccine,someone%20who%20is%20not%20infected.

https://www.cdc.gov/rubella/index.html#:~:text=Rubella%20is%20a%20contagious%20disease,the%20rest%20of%20the%20body.

https://www.cdc.gov/mumps/index.html#:~:text=Mumps%20is%20a%20contagious%20disease,tiredness%2C%20and%20loss%20of%20appetite.

https://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm#:~:text=Polio%2C%20or%20poliomyelitis%2C%20is%20a,move%20parts%20of%20the%20body).

https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/index.html#:~:text=Tetanus%20is%20an%20infection%20caused,open%20the%20mouth%20or%20swallow.

https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/index.html#:~:text=Pertussis%2C%20also%20known%20as%20whooping,makes%20it%20hard%20to%20breathe.

https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/medications/483/Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin-BCG-Vaccine