Rotavirus vaccine

Almost all unimmunised children will get rotavirus before they are 3 years old. Vaccination is the best method for preventing rotavirus infection and reducing the seriousness of illness if infected. Vaccination against rotavirus will protect about 8 out of 10 babies from severe rotavirus infection and needing to be admitted to hospital because of rotavirus infection.

If your baby/pēpi has already had rotavirus gastroenteritis, they should still receive the full course of immunisation because it'll provide better protection against getting rotavirus again.  

The rotavirus vaccine is given as 2 doses when babies are 6 weeks and 3 months.

If you miss these dates, you can catch up, but the first vaccine must be given before 15 weeks of age and the second dose before 25 weeks. The interval between the 2 doses should be at least 4 weeks. 

Why is it important that they have it at this age?

• As babies get older, some (about 1 out of 1,000) get a condition called intussusception that causes a blockage in their lower gut. It's extremely rare before 3 months of age and most cases occur between 5 months and a year.
• There is a very small chance (between 1 and 6 in every 100,000 babies vaccinated) that the first dose of the rotavirus vaccine might also cause this blockage to develop. To reduce the risk of this happening, the first dose of the vaccine won't be given to babies older than 15 weeks of age.

Read more about bowel blockage below.

The first vaccination shouldn't be given after 15 weeks of age and no vaccination should be given after 24 weeks. The vaccination shouldn't be given to babies who:

• Have severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), a rare genetic disease that makes babies very vulnerable to infection.
• Have had a bad reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, or to any of the ingredients that go into the vaccine.

If your child currently has an illness with vomiting and diarrhoea, the vaccine may be delayed. 

The rotavirus vaccine is available as liquid drops that are simply squirted into your baby’s mouth (a dose of 1.5 mL). If your baby spits out their dose, another dose isn't necessary. 

As with all vaccinations, you will need to stay with your child at the doctor's surgery or clinic for a short time after they have had the vaccination to make sure they haven't had an allergic reaction to the vaccine. 

Feeding: You can feed your baby breast milk, formula or food after their vaccination. 
Risk of rotavirus disease from having the vaccine: Your baby won't get the rotavirus disease from the vaccine. The virus in the vaccine is weakened so it mimics the disease but doesn't cause infection. 
Vaccine virus is excreted in stools (poo): The weakened rotavirus from the vaccine may be found in your baby's poo for up to 28 days after the first immunisation and up to 15 days after the second dose. After your baby gets the vaccine, follow standard hygiene measures when changing their nappies. This includes washing your hands using soap and water and drying them well, or using liquid hand gel.
Nappies: Your baby can wear cloth or disposable nappies after immunisation. No special precautions need to be taken when washing cloth nappies.
Kissing your baby on the mouth: No studies have investigated transmission of vaccine virus from kissing a baby on the mouth after immunisation. However, it is theoretically possible for a person to be exposed to weakened vaccine virus in this way.
Attending day care: Your baby can attend day care after having the vaccine. Caregivers also need to use standard hygiene measures and wash and dry their hands well after changing nappies.
Swimming: Your baby can go swimming after they have had the vaccine.

Like all medicines, rotavirus vaccine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Common side effects include restlessness and irritability. Some babies may have mild diarrhoea (runny poos), vomiting or tummy pain. This is temporary and usually settles after a few days. Wash your hands well after changing nappies.

Risk of bowel blockage

Rarely, the rotavirus vaccine may cause a bowel blockage called intussusception. This occurs naturally in some babies each year, with no known cause. Intussusception is rare and can be treated in hospital. Signs include severe crying, tummy pain (pulling up their knees) and pink or red coloured jelly–like poos. If your baby has these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

The increased risk, if any, is very small compared to the risks of rotavirus infection and is most likely to occur within the first week after the first dose, but may be seen up to 3 weeks after vaccination.

Intussusception, although rare, generally occurs in older infants. Therefore, it's very important to give the vaccine at the correct ages of 6 weeks and 3 months, before they reach the high risk period. If your child has a history of intussusception or severe stomach (tummy) problems, let your doctor know before giving the rotavirus vaccine. 

Read more about medicines and side effects and reporting a reaction that you think might be a side effect.

There are many different settings in which you can get a vaccination. These include medical or health centres, pharmacies, community-based clinics including marae-based clinics, mobile health clinics and mobile vaccination services.

Read more about who can give vaccinations and where to get vaccinated.

Vaccines on the National Immunisation Schedule(external link) are free. Other vaccines are funded only for people at particular risk of disease. You can choose to pay for vaccines that you're not eligible to receive for free.