The BCG vaccine, also known as the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, is the world’s primary vaccination for tuberculosis (TB). Tuberculosis is a potentially serious disease that mainly infects the lungs and is notorious for its long recovery. However, TB also affects the brain (meningitis), bones, joints and kidneys, making it a dangerous disease.
The bacterium responsible for tuberculosis tends to resist the drugs that provide treatments, and as such, recovery from TB is a long, challenging, and often painful process.
Therefore, the BCG vaccination is the best bet at ensuring that one has a low risk of contracting the TB infection. Usually, the vaccination is provided as soon as possible after birth or within one year (if not taken immediately after birth).
Despite the clear-cut information on the BCG vaccine, there is still a lot of confusion regarding the BCG vaccine age groups and related aspects. The BCG vaccine NHS, for instance, highlights these aspects in detail. This write-up aims to present all the details about the BCG vaccine age groups and other particulars as per the BCG vaccine UK regulations.
Who is the BCG vaccine meant for?
As per the norms of BCG vaccine NHS, the vaccination is only meant for:
- Babies
- Children aged between 1 to 16 years
- Adults under the age of 35 who are at risk of contracting tuberculosis
There are two very important points worth noting regarding the BCG vaccine:
- The vaccine is administered only once a lifetime
- The vaccine is not effective for people over the age of 35
How is the BCG vaccine administered?
The vaccination is administered as an injection, typically to the left upper arm.
The BCG vaccine age groups
The various particulars of the BCG age groups can be categorised as follows:
For babies
The BCG vaccine UK is provided to all babies as soon as possible after birth or up to one year post birth. As per the NHS, the vaccination is given to those babies who:
- Are born in any TB prone areas of the UK
- Have a parent or grandparent who has TB, are in close contact with someone who has TB or was born in a country with a high rate of TB.
- Will live with someone who has TB.
The vaccine is given to a baby typically at about 28 days old by the GP in the hospital. Feel free to have a thorough consultation with your GP if you have any questions.
For children between the ages of 1 to 16
The BCG vaccination is provided to young children and adults between the ages of 1 and 16 who are at risk of contracting TB, such as:
- Those who weren’t given the BCG vaccine as babies
- Any child under the age of 16 who hails from a part of the world where the risk of TB is high
- Any child under the age of 16 who lives in close quarters with someone with infectious TB
- Those who have a parent or grandfather who was born in a country with a high risk of TB
- Those who have recently arrived from a country with an increased risk of TB
- Those who will be living with people for three months or longer in countries with an increased risk of TB
For adults between the ages of 16 to 35
The BCG vaccination is provided to people aged between 16 to 35 who risk contracting TB at their occupation. This includes:
- Medical staff or laboratory workers who frequently or regularly direct contact with TB patients or deal with material that provides a risk of TB
- Veterinary professionals who deal with animals that could have infectious TB
In addition, the BCG vaccine is also provided to people of the 16-35 age group that include:
- Prison staff who directly deal with prisoners
- The staff of accommodation facilities for homeless people
- People who work in facilities for refugees
Special note on travellers
Any child under the age of 16 who will live for more than three months in a place with a high risk of TB will be given the BCG vaccine.
Who does not need the BCG vaccine?
The BCG vaccine is not administered to people who:
- Have already taken the BCG vaccine
- Have a medical history of contracting TB
- Have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction) to any of the ingredients used in the vaccine
- Young children (typically under two years of age) who have contracted TB at some point in their lives
- Have a skin condition at the site of injection
- Are immunocompromised
- Are undergoing chemotherapy or on medication that affects the immune system (such as steroids)
- Pregnant women
- Have leukaemia or lymphoma
BCG vaccine side effects for all age groups
The side effects of the BCG vaccine are well-established and more or less common to all age groups. While most of these side effects are common, some might be of concern depending on the individual’s health condition and medical history.
The various side effects include:
- Painful blister or swelling at the site of the injection
- A severe headache
- High fever
- Swollen ulcer at the site of the injection
- Enlarged or swollen lymph nodes that can result in an infection
- Skin rashes and redness
- Inflammation of the bones
- Severe anaphylactic reaction
If you have any concerns about how you or a child related or known to you would react to the BCG vaccine, please speak to the GP associated with administering the vaccination.
Conclusion
The BCG vaccine is recognised globally as the primary vaccination for tuberculosis. Consisting of a weakened strain of the Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium that causes TB in cows, the vaccination helps prevent TB in a healthy person.
Along with the vaccine for tetanus, the BCG vaccine is a compulsory vaccination in countries that pose a risk of tuberculosis.
While this write-up clearly outlines the age groups and all relevant details about the vaccine administration, we recommend you have a detailed discussion with your GP regarding the vaccine.
